


Against the Tide of Mordor

by ErisFantasy



Category: Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (Video Games)
Genre: Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Past Rape/Non-con, Psychological Torture, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2020-08-14 12:47:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 35,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20192545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ErisFantasy/pseuds/ErisFantasy
Summary: Having been betrayed by the One ring, Celebrimbor expects death from the Dark Lord, but instead finds himself in the position of his "mate". Locked away for over one thousand years, he is rescued by the current resistance against Sauron and brought to Minas Morgul. Where he finds he is not the only one who has lost his purpose for living.





	1. A Mission

  
  


Year 1697

_ I remember someone screaming. _

He watched and struggled against the chains as Annatar lifted the beautiful silver hammer above his mother’s head. He glanced back at him, smiling, and with multiple blows he ended her life. His sister cried silently, fear plainly written across her face but she looked Annatar in the eyes as he mercifully killed her in one blow...Or it was all her little head could withstand. 

_ Then I realized it was me. _

His sapphire blue eyes met the flame colored ones of his captor, he was going to die here. Deep within Barad-Dur and no one would know what happened to the Ringmaker. He cared not, however, as he was beginning to resent his role in the crumbling of Middle-Earth. He had been a fool, more so of one to attempt to spark an uprising to save it. Had not realized the accursed golden band had been imbued with Annatar’s own soul and was given its own will.

He couldn’t look away,  _ wouldn’t _ , as Annatar placed the hand that wore the One against his face and forced his head up nearly beyond its limit. He said nothing as he flipped the hammer in his hand and placed the sharp end above his throat, digging in and dragging a line to the bone that created his chin, carving it. His vision fading in and out in the pain. Noticing the ever present smile had not wavered. 

“Having defied me, death is too good for you, Celebrimbor.” Annatar murmured. 

Annatar lowered his head and kissed him, Celebrimbor had hoped his rebellion had forced him to regret his lustful advancements. But fate had not been kind enough to make him forget, it seemed as if he had done exactly the opposite. 

___ 

Year 2989 

He feigned right and hoped his sparring partner would fall for it. Being an immortal warrior, she did not.

He couldn’t help the curse he shouted when her fist connected with the right side of his jaw and his teeth clacked together. 

He held up his hands and backed away, then he rubbed his aching jaw.

“Thank you for that, Eltariel, I thought you were going to start pulling those punches in training?” He asked, giving her a cold stare.

The blonde elf laughed, a rare occasion and he tried not to smile. 

“I forget I can injure you easily, Talion.” She grinned. “I am unused to physical opponents.” 

He nodded and said: “ _ Ah _ , well it is a good thing you defected from Galadriel’s care then. Chasing ghosts all those years had addled your memory.” 

“Says the old bastard that forgot you were to meet me here two hours ago.” She replied.

“If I am so, you should know that this old bastard likes sleeping until one hour before dawn, not three.” He retorted. 

She crossed her arms, frowning. “Yet you still did not sleep last night, do you think you are nocturnal? I found you asleep in your tent when you were supposed to be with the commander. What was that about anyway?” 

“I used to take the midnight watch when I was younger.” He answered quietly. “And the commander? You must promise ignorance should you be asked.” 

She blinked, he never asked her to keep secrets. “You have my word.” 

“I am being sent to Gorgoroth on a rescue mission.” He said slowly. “More specifically, the Dark Tower.” 

He had never seen her look so terrified. “You cannot. No one leaves.” 

“Our spies have and my quarry will. I don’t have too.” He answered. 

She stepped forward and grabbed his wrist, he noticed her hands were trembling slightly and were cold. “I know you cannot bear living most days, but you must at least try. Isn’t that your exact words to me?” 

“Why did you go mad.” He asked, disregarding her question. 

“Only if you will answer me.” She insisted. 

He sighed deeply and pulled away from her grip. “Do you remember when the Black Gate fell?”

“Fifteen years ago, yes. Then the Black Hand was murdered by an unknown madman, a year later.” She nodded.

“That was me.” 

She blinked in surprise and backed up. “But he left no survivors.” 

“That is false, Eltariel. They wanted slaves to construct their camps across Mordor and mine their precious metals for armor.” He said. 

“And you were one of them?”

“Not for very long, an old friend rescued me and we proceeded to destroy the monument to Sauron, then I was summoned by the Queen of the Shore, there she challenged me to destroy the Black Hand. And I only agreed not only because the Black Hand had slaughtered my brothers in arms, but because my wife and son as well.” He answered, being very careful to keep his voice steady and tears restrained. 

She swallowed hard, fighting her own tears. “So that is why you have kept your distance from me.” 

“I’m unsure how long I will last before I lose myself to my grief again, since the list of things to fight for grows short. So it is better I do not return at all.” 

She stepped close again and held out her hands, he took them and looked at her.

“I went mad because the Witch-King himself stole my mate’s life and Galadriel had promised this encounter to be the one we finally destroyed him. She deceived us into believing we could destroy the Nazgul together, when she was merely sick of our useless presence. So it appears the broken find solace in their company.”

He smiled tightly. “So you say. Thank you for telling me.” 

She returned the smile. “And so I finally know why you and I were assigned to the other. But you must promise you’ll come back. Like I already said, you have more experience than most of us. And...And I really do not wish to bury another friend.” 

“If you insist.” He answered begrudgingly. 

“Swear it.” 

“I promise I will make every effort to make it out of the Dark Tower alive.” 

“Thank you. When do you depart?”

“Tomorrow, when I arrive the uruk-hai should have moved out to conquer Nurnen and it should be easy to sneak inside. I was already told were the prisoner is. I should return within a fortnight.” 

She released his hands and left him. 

As she walked away, he hoped she didn’t realize he had lied to her and if she did, she would most certainly follow. He would have to be observant these next two days for any sign she was. For she’d only do something foolish and get herself killed. And he couldn’t let that happen. Not in his lifetime anyway.

  
  


___ 

_ He didn’t know precisely how many days it had been since An-- _ Sauron _ had killed his family. It might have been a week, considering the way the bodies had decayed thus far. The smell made him want to vomit still, yet he had not been given anything to eat, so it was futile. According to the Dark Lord he would be kept alive. He was still planning on ways to get himself killed. _

_ The door creaked open and the Dark Lord entered with two uruks, a demonic smile making his eyes glow.  _

_ “Well, well, six whole days and you still hold your head high. Have you accepted your fate willingly? If so, we shall consummate our union this evening.”  _

_ Celebrimbor only stared back and said nothing. He couldn’t be serious.  _

_ “I will take your silence as consent then.”  _

_ “No. I will not consent, it is my final answer.”  _

_ Sauron cocked his head to the side and blinked. “What a shame.”  _

_ He crouched down to reach eye-level with him and placed his fore-finger and thumb under Celebrimbor’s chin, gently rubbing his thumb against it. _

_   
_ _ “You only have yourself to blame, you just gave me free will to do whatever I please with you.”  _

_ Sauron stood and motioned to the two uruk-hai. “Strip him. Do not be afraid to put him in his place.”  _

_ Celebrimbor wondered if he could escape even with Sauron there. Or at least earn a knife in his back.  _

_ They unlocked the manacles and he lunged, however he did not anticipate the swiftness of the uruk’s and they grabbed him at once. Sauron laughing. One grabbed his hair and yanked his head back, there was an awful crack and he wondered if they had broken his neck. _

_ The other started unbuckling his wrist gauntlets, then began on his shins. He kicked the uruk and the other gave another sharp yank of his hair. He grunted and sent his elbow into the uruk’s gut. He heard the confirmation he’d connected and pulled hard, he ignored the pain in his skull and sprinted towards Sauron.  _

_ He didn’t expect the hand that slammed into his face and the force of it sent him to the floor.  _

_ He landed with an ugly sounded thud and he tried to get up, Sauron merely stepping on his hand.  _

_ “Fools, both of you.” Sauron snapped, looking at the two uruks.  _

_ He pointed down at Celebrimbor and they approached them. Celebrimbor struggled feebly, Sauron putting more weight on his hand.  _

_ “Do you want it broken?”  _

_ _

_ He froze, it didn’t scare him, but he couldn’t do anything else, Sauron would not kill him, he should have done it already if he wanted too.  _

_ Sauron kicked him in the face before stepping off his hand, the uruk’s rolling him over to remove his breastplate. It wasn’t long before he lay there completely nude, for fabric could be cut away.  _

_ “Ay, he’s prettier than I thought!” One uruk laughed. _

_ “Tis only an elf.” The other answered. “But if the master allows it…”  _

_ “He is mine.” Sauron said almost too quietly. _

_ He wouldn’t flinch under their hungry gazes, he would stare at the wall and he would continue praying for death.  _

_ “Take him to my chambers. And summon someone to bring the bodies to the morgue.” _

  
  


_ _

Celebrimbor stared up at the ceiling, counting the minutes until the uruk that brought the meals returned. His master Sauron had not been present for a long while, he had lost his ability to tell the months or years, however it had been so long he prayed he had been forgotten by everyone except the uruk. 

His hand idly ran itself over the beautiful silks around him for the trillionth time. His prison was beautiful, a prison nonetheless. He had accepted the fact that he was never getting out a long time ago. Maybe only a hundred years after his imprisonment. Maybe two, three, four. 

He blinked, he couldn’t let his mind wander off so carelessly. He still tried to keep whatever was left of his fragile sanity. As much as Sauron would love him to completely break, he couldn’t. He wouldn’t give him that satisfaction. One day someone would destroy the One ring and on that day this fortress would come down all around him and kill him.

He realized he had lost count of how many minutes it had been. He had been up to six hundred and forty-three. Was it fifty-three now or seven hundred and two?

He shifted and wished he could sit up. The collar that kept him to the wall preventing it. Sauron was always so careful if he left. Always warning the uruks what would happen to them if he somehow managed to flee from this room. The idea entertained him, the punishments they would receive, but reality was also cruel. He had to consider what would be done to him if he even tried.

_ What hasn’t already been done to me?  _

He shook his head to banish the thought. He didn’t dare think of it. He had gone a good amount of time without losing himself to the horrors. He hated that he still wasn’t numb to it. He should be. 

_ ‘Look at you, Cele, aren’t you pretty? Look at the way you arch yourself for me.’ _

He dug his nails into his palms, they were long enough he could draw blood, he hoped to do so. He could ruin these lovely sheets. 

_ ‘Do you still not appreciate I have taken you for my mate? You should be honored.’  _

He couldn’t draw any blood today. And so the memories would haunt him until he cried himself to sleep, or try to at the very least. 

___ 

Talion had been watching closely for three days. He had not seen even a whisper of Eltariel, either she could be better than he thought or in the wake of their moment together, she had not realized his intent. 

He had made incredible time on a caragor and was surprised he had not encountered any hunting or scouting parties yet. The trip should be five days total, he would get there at dusk tomorrow. His “safehouse” at least. 

He needed to find an uruk party of some sort. He needed to sharpen his skills before entering Barad-Dur, she had shaken his resolve to be careless enough that he was second guessing himself. He didn’t know whether or not that was a good thing. Possibly it was. 

He watched the sun lower itself in the sky and thought about continuing on. The only risks were ghuls and the occasional graug, but they could easily outrun it. Might as well set up camp.

He had just left the mountain range a few hours ago, finding a cave high above the ground was out of the question. There were stone clearings that could conceal him and his caragor, he set about looking for one, although he might have to scale one of the sparse trees and tie himself to a branch. He hated doing it but alas. 

Soon he discovered a clump of trees that butted up against a cliff and he inspected the trees closely. He didn’t even consider any that hung over the cliffside, he did not trust his knots to hold him should he roll over. Staring at one in the middle, he noticed it had much thicker branches than the others and plenty of vegetation. It would do. 

He hobbled the caragor and hoped it wouldn’t manage to wander too far off. He quickly scanned the horizon for any signs of other creatures and was assured he was safe for the time being. He still had to make it in one piece, as much as he loathed that fact.

He was settled in the branch he’d chosen a few moments after that and stared at the horizon. He would sleep a few hours--if he could manage it--and set out again.

He started going over the steps of his plan, if all went well he would find the prisoner on the second level below ground. It would not be heavily guarded due to the troops moving out today and he should be able to release him, escort him to the cart that should be waiting and jump off the tower. It would be easy.

___ 

  
  


_ Fifty-six, fifty-seven, fifty-eight, fifty- nine, twenty-one.  _

There was a rattle at the door and it startled him out of his thoughts again. Dinner had arrived it seemed. He wondered if it were the middle of the night. Or had he been awake in the middle of the night and now it were day?

He heard two steps of footsteps enter and glanced up to see the dinner uruk and a new one. At least it wasn’t Sauron. But usually two uruks never meant anything good. He wondered if the second one had gained favor with Sauron somehow and was given his body as a reward.

He didn’t care if the disgust was plain on his face. They all knew he wouldn’t protest when the time came. He would just lay there. 

“You can let ‘im walk around a bit, he won’t go anywhere with me outside the door.” The dinner uruk said. 

The new uruk was quite small, he would have thought him an orc but he was too strongly built to be one. Orcs were like elves, they didn’t become too muscular looking. His green skin was lighter than most others and his face was pierced in several places. His armor was bone of some kind. Although discerning the difference had long been lost to him. 

The little uruk set the tray down and the bigger one walked out of the room and closed the door. 

The uruk kept glancing nervously at him as he arranged his plate. He had no reason to do so, was he poisoning it? Oh, how he hoped so.

The uruk finally turned and undid the chain from the collar.

“Get up!” He shouted. 

Celebrimbor flinched at the loud noise and carefully sat up, the room spinning precariously when he stood. He must have nearly fallen because the uruk was there holding his shoulders. 

“Easy.” He whispered. “Old Scarface can’t hear me beyond the door. So take your time.” 

He became suspicious of the uruk’s worried glances at the door. He moved his head and gestured towards the door. 

“He has been complaining he does all this work to keep you somewhat healthy and never gets to sleep with you. So, he is being replaced. Don’t tell him he’s going to get thrown into the lava. Although I don’t think I have to worry about you, right?” 

Celebrimbor nodded and the uruk smiled.

He helped him sit down and the uruk stepped away.

“I do hope we become good friends, I do not interest myself in the pleasure of elves, so I hope you will relax a little. And I am very much a coward, so I wouldn’t dare attempt to anger the Dark Lord, no, no.” 

Celebrimbor had begun eating and looked at the uruk silently. He wasn’t sure he liked the babbling fool. Although he had not been staring as he had helped him walk across the room. And he turned away when he sat down. 

“It is a lovely day out. For our standards anyway. Blistering hot and the sun is just about to reach its zenith. Have you ever seen the sun since you’ve been here?” The uruk continued, turning to look at him.

Celebrimbor shook his head and the uruk gasped.

“No wonder you are so deathly pale!” 

Celebrimbor dropped his gaze and didn’t bother to think about his appearance. If it wasn’t completely ruined by scars, it was merely skin and bones at this point. In fact, it had been for a long time. 

The door slammed open with a terribly loud crash and the usual uruk walked in.

“Your job is to make sure he is alive! Not speak to him!” The uruk roared.

“I am sorry, you must know I cannot help my nervous rambling when I see something that is pretty!” The small one answer, shrinking down. 

“Bah! Maybe if you’d shut your trap and do your job, you’d get a chance to play with the pretty thing! Now get out!” The large uruk snarled. 

He slapped the small uruk and turned to Celebrimbor, who was watching wide eyed. He strode over to the elf and grabbed him by the hair and yanked him out of the seat. To his credit, he didn’t cry out and only pushed himself so his hair wouldn’t come out of his scalp. 

He was picked up and thrown back onto the bed. The uruk roughly grabbing his neck to snap the chain back into place. Then he looked down and smiled, running his hand across Celebrimbor’s chest. “I do believe my turn with you is on its way. Finally a good promotion beyond these walls.” 

He strode away after that and Celebrimbor would have screamed if only for the fact that this uruk was going to die for thinking like that. A small victory at least. 

  
  
  



	2. The Elf

Talion awoke long before dawn. He had slept far longer than he had thought, but he might be able to push himself a little further today. And the caragor had stayed close. Certainly the Valar had smiled upon his plans. 

He set off after a small breakfast and watched the shadows intently. While he would not mind cutting through some uruks, he didn’t want to run into ghuls. Some could spit poison from several yards away and he had no desire to be waylaid by a day of sickness...If they didn’t eat him. Maybe running into them wouldn’t be so bad.

_ You must complete your mission first. Then you may die.  _

He reached up and brushed his hand against his throat where the scarf was hidden beneath his armor. His heart ached and the sorrow created a lump in his throat. He wondered if she would hate him for killing himself. Or would she be happy he had left this horrible world?

Those two questions was what had kept him from leaping, drinking and slicing so many times. It had been easy enough to find another task to keep him busy, to make those thoughts disappear for a day or two. But they always returned. He took pride in the fact that no one had seen it yet. No one had even thought that he might try to kill himself. 

He looked up at the stars and sighed. Was she watching? Did she know what he was going to do? Maybe it wasn’t worth throwing away his skills. But then again, what would happen if they succeeded in defeating Sauron? What would be left for him then? 

Talion’s head snapped to the side when he heard a loud crunch beside him. He halted his caragor and stayed perfectly still. There were no figures in the shadows, or a shape that would suggest a ghul mound. He was barely breathing and soon he heard the rustling of leaves.

“My guardian angel.” He said sardonically.

The leaves became more apparent and started taking shape. Seconds later a woman made of leaves stood there.

“Do well to mind tongue.” The thing snapped.

“It appears I cannot even think without you knowing.” He answered.

The spirit of nature called Carnan stood before him. He wasn’t sure if he’d get smited or not for disrespecting one sent by Eru. 

“Thoughts are poisoned with death.” She retorted.

He opened his mouth to reply but she held up a hand. “Silence!” 

He sat back and looked at her, he would obey if only so he could get on his way faster.

“You survived and thrived. You have one that would love you and you pray and pray for death?” She snarled.

Talion looked down, he knew Eltariel cared more than she let on. Yet she only truly seemed happy when they were together, he couldn’t deny the feeling that he was making a mistake. 

  
“Selfish man, selfish and stubborn.” Carnan added. 

She said nothing for several seconds so Talion responded. “I was given one duty, I was supposed to protect my wife and child and I failed. I was so close to getting them out and then I was betrayed by my own caution. I should have died that night. But apparently, the Black Hand thought it most amusing to watch me suffer. Is that what you would have too?” 

He felt the cold shift in the air and couldn’t help his gulp. Whoops. 

Yet she did not reign the vengeance upon him he thought he deserved. “When body laying in cart. What happens to the she-Elf?” 

With that she disappeared and he sat there. Carnan never seemed to stay for long and usually it was for some beration or lecture. She did care, although she didn’t care enough to acknowledge his decision was final. 

  
  


___ 

  
  


_ “Very good. It appears you have not lost your skills.”  _

_ He wanted to move away from the arms around him so badly, but they were stronger than he and held his hands too tightly.  _

_ “This will enhance your beauty wonderfully this evening.” _

_ He looked down at the object in his hands and tried not to shake. The steel collar reflected the torchlight and the whorls that decorated it were perfect. He noticed his reflection and saw how thin he had gotten. How worried looking. If he weren’t an Elf, he would have lost his ebony hair to an ugly grey shade a year ago. _

_ Sauron gently pulled the awful thing out his hands and walked away, he noticed that the chisel that he had been using, Sauron had not put it away.. He glanced at him, who was busy admiring his work and silently picked it up.  _

_ He was glad his fingers were still deft and wrapped his hands around it, he found his heart and placed the tip against it. Pulling it away, he thrust the tip back towards his chest and held his breath.  _

_ Warm hands wrapped around his and stopped him from impaling himself. Pain confirming he was mere seconds away from connecting. _

_ “Ah, I had thought you weren’t so desperate. But I was wrong.” Came Sauron’s cool voice.  _

_ The breath he had been holding released in a shaky gasp. He couldn’t stop the trembling now.  _

_   
_ _ “Come, clearly you cannot be trusted outside of our room.”  _

Celebrimbor woke and made the mistake of sitting up. The sharp bite of the collar forcing him back down and he lay there gagging, hoping whatever he had eaten before falling asleep wouldn’t come up.

He knew what time it had been when he’d been fed last, noon. So if he had awoken and had counted ten hours before, is it now the middle of the night? It had to be. 

Then he began to think about why that uruk had described the outside to him. Certainly he had to know he had no sense of time here? 

_ But now he’s given me a clue…  _

Celebrimbor began counting.  _ One. Two. Three... _

___ 

Talion arrived at the small outpost inside Gorgoroth’s borders by sunset. While much closer to the Dark Tower than the others, it was mostly underground and because of that it was the reason it hadn’t fallen to Sauron. Another reason that it was run by uruk-hai, they blended in far more than any human could.

Talion led his caragor deeper into the caverns and looked for familiar faces. Majority of them were, with the exception of a few new recruits here and there.

“Ah! What deigns to bring the conqueror of Minas Morgul here?” A familiar voice boomed. 

Talion turned and gave a smirk to the uruk. Zog the Necromancer. He held no love for Sauron and had greatly enjoyed betraying him for their ranks, if only because he was promised a place among the humans when the war was over. And according to him, he wouldn’t mind giving up his dark arts either.

“Lady trouble I fear. The commander demanded I join this outpost because she was sick of looking at me!” He said, throwing his free hand up and rolling his eyes. 

Zog laughed, an ugly thing. “She does not appreciate your uruk-ish ways!” 

“And here I thought I had kept my tusks filed.” He answered. 

Sometimes he couldn’t understand the things that came out of his mouth.

“Looking for bread and drink?” Zog asked. 

“Aye. I will only be here for two days, maybe three. I will disappear quickly.” 

“As long as the stinkin’ caragor goes with you!” 

Talion nodded and walked away from him. Why the uruk always sought him out was a mystery. Although it would be rather nice to sleep in a cave, instead of a tree.

Talion had spent much of the next day scouting out the fortress and tower. Tomorrow he could strike for certain. For very little uruks were about. He’d have to kill a few, but he didn’t mind. In fact, it would be a good coverup for his death. 

Returning to the camp he gave the captains a full report of his findings and told them of his desire to move out at dawn the next morning. He was met with some reluctance but was allowed to proceed. 

And still, no one suspected a thing. 

The next morning Talion stalked through the courtyard of Ghashgor, the stronghold nearly deserted in their conquest of richer pastures. Under his hooded cloak, he smiled. What’s one small orc with poor posture? 

He was not confronted until he approached the grand doors to the throne room, a rough uruk voice stopping him. 

“Heyo, what business is it of yours with the overlord?” 

He tilted his head in that direction and while his face remained concealed, he noticed a group of five of them, not too much of a challenge.

“Somethin’ about wine and ref’eshments inside for good work in Udun, I be lucky, mate.” Talion answered, hopefully his Gondorian accent wasn’t too prominent. 

A laugh among the gang. “If that is what he promised! Go rit ahead!” 

Little did they know he had paid a visit to caravan bringing the grog today, he had laughed when he had learned the shipment was late this month. As much as Carnan was against him, she sure opened a door of opportunity for him. What a convenient root in the road that had been. 

He entered and shut the massive doors as quietly as he could, hoping the overlord’s guards were still out for their piss break, and slid the heavy board across the door. Why that was there made no sense, unless they thought it would repel any victorious warmongers.

He strode into the main chamber and rolled his shoulders, the weight of Urfael and Acharn reassuring. He couldn’t get too carried away here, he must not look suspicious crossing the bridge. 

“Who’s that?” The overlord called when he noticed his steps.

“Wurmwood the Puny. You summoned meh.” Talion replied. 

The overlord smiled then, as if he knew some great secret. “Of course! Come here now, don’t be shy now!” 

Talion crept forward, the overlord frowning. “Why all them cloaks? Can’t tell me you have grown conscious of what others see of you now? And since when did yah have that limp? Tell me now, which lover o’ yours crippled yah?” 

“Someone who was thoroughly unsatisfied.” 

The overlord finally stepped up and reached for his chin. “Well, which one of them was it?” 

He didn’t get a chance to react when Talion grabbed his hand, nor when he had his own blade stuck through his chest. That had been done much cleaner than he had expected. And he needed not to sully his own blades. 

He searched the fallen uruk and found a ring of keys, he pocketed them in case they weren’t just for the pantry and discovered a note. He carefully picked it open so he could read it and looked over his shoulders before lowering his head.

_ Celebrimbor is yours. Do as you will and be gone by sunrise. The door will be the only one marked with the blue eye.  _

Talion read the note over to see if he had read the name correctly, it still said Celebrimbor. His mind went over several history lessons and legends and still couldn’t believe it.

The ringmaker lives. 

He stood and crumpled the note, throwing it into a nearby brazier. Suddenly wishing Eltariel was there, he wondered what she would think if they were to rescue the cause of this madness across Middle-Earth. Surely she would want to kill him. 

He adjusted his cloak to make sure it was still in place and stalked out into the bridge between Ghashgor and Barad-Dur. He would kill the Elf, he saw no reason not to. Surely his comrades had no idea whom they were sending him after? 

But what if they had? What if they had hoped he could make them their own ring of power?

The thought caused his blood to pound in his veins. Was that why he was here? To open the gateway for another set of rings to be made? So he could bestow the knowledge of centuries of evil upon them?

He swallowed hard and tried to keep his gait limping and slow. He hoped the Elf would put up a fight at least, so this would all be worth it.

___ 

While his hearing wasn’t as sharp as it was, he could still tell there was a commotion outside. 

Celebrimbor slowed his breathing enough to hear a fragment of the frantic shouting outside. 

“ _ Loosed fell beast! _ ” 

So someone had released one of the fell beasts, had they? He hoped it was a lowly slave and that the beast would eat most of them. It would be most satisfying to hear about later. Surely a tale they would put excessive exaggerations on. 

Soon the hallways outside fell silent and he was left in silence once more.

He sighed and relaxed some, mealtime would be late today due to the excitement. Hopefully. 

A rattling at the door made him jump and he tensed, everyone in this hellhole knew how to open that door, which key it was. He counted off the seconds until the door burst open.

A cloaked figure stood there, but had not yet noticed him. A quick glance over the shoulder and then the person was closing the door. After relocking it from the inside, the figure turned to him.

A man. One that did not wear a sideways sneer or bore a lustful demeanor. Instead he looked utterly horrified. Celebrimbor hardly made an effort to cover himself, for he was stunned. 

The man looked back towards the door and started pulling away some of the cloaks to reveal a satchel. He pulled it free and flung it onto the bed. Then he walked over and placed hesitant fingers against the collar. He must have seen the lock in the back and held out the keys for Celebrimbor to see.

“Is the key on this ring?”

His accent was Gondorian. Or was it Rovanion? 

He shook his head, part of him wondering if this were some cruel trick. 

The man scowled and looked around the room, he blinked in surprise when he beheld the vanity and took something from it. 

“Is this the key?” He asked, holding up the correct key. 

Celebrimbor’s mouth fell open, so the dinner uruk was a traitor to Sauron. Had he sent this savior?

He moved his head so the man could access the lock and soon the accursed collar fell away.

He sat up and took a deep breath, silently praying his legs would support him all the way out. 

The man had started rifling through his stachel and started handing him clothing.

Celebrimbor did not hesitate and quickly pulled on the trousers he were handed, then the tunic. Then a cloak. He had to keep himself from crying like a babe, certainly this was real. 

When he was finished dressing, he wished he had a pair of boots, although he wasn’t sure if he’d remember how to walk in them… 

The man looked at him and shook the stachel, as nothing remained he took the keyring and unlocked the door again.

He looked at Celebrimbor, who nodded and he opened it slowly, adopting a hunched over facade and started limping away, Celebrimbor following suit.

While everything ached and lights danced in front of his eyes, the man’s cloaks were easy enough to see, as they were the only ones in this hallway, by some miracle. 

They made it to the stairwell without confrontation but Celebrimbor was slowly realizing he wouldn’t be able to walk much further. 

_ Keep moving, this is your only chance. Go. Go. Go. _

The man stopped and looked at him when he reached the stairs and Celebrimbor nodded. He would make it up the stairs. 

He managed to get halfway before his legs wrenched themselves from beneath him. He swallowed his yelp of surprise and crawled to the wall. 

  
  
  


____

He wanted to kill him when he fought with that door. He’d expected to walk in, see the spoiled Elf safely hidden away and plunge his dagger into his chest. 

But when he’d seen that collar around his throat, he couldn’t do it. When he saw the ebony and crimson room his anger dissipated at once, the breath leaving him when he beheld the scrawny figure laying nude. He couldn’t just leave his body to be used by them. He was kicking himself for not realizing the implications of the note sooner.

Talion was pulled from his thoughts when he heard a quiet thud behind him, he turned around and saw that the Elf had fallen. He tried to pull himself up, but the sheer wall offered no handhold. He would have to carry him. 

He reached for him and hauled him up, ignoring the squeak of surprise when he pulled him into his arms and started taking the stairs two at a time. Although he was a fool for believing he could do this without tripping, he was damn determined to try, for something was urging him forward at a quicker pace.

He made it without falling, thankfully and ran out into the open, he saw some uruks that weren’t paying attention to them and hear the shriek of the beast someone had let loose for him. Maybe Carnan as a parting gift. 

He reached the bridge and paused, the Elf could make it if he tried. He was an Elf. So, turned his gaze towards Gondor and laid the Elf on the ground.

  
  


___

  
  


Celebrimbor didn’t know why they stopped, or why the man was looking so far off in the distance. When he was being lowered to the ground, he started to panic. He looked around wildly for the inevitable uruks that would apprehend him or any sight of chains. His breathing started coming too fast and his mouth was drier than it had been in a while.

He almost called to the man, who was slowly making his way towards the edge of the bridge, discarding his bracers as he went. He was reaching for the buckle on his baldric when the ground started shaking. 

Celebrimbor looked behind him and saw a massive olog bearing down on the man, who lunged towards the edge of the bridge, the look on his face suggested he knew the troll. 

The olog was quicker than the man though and just as the man leapt, he was batted away from the open air and back onto the bridge. 

“ _ No! _ ” 

He heard the man shriek and the sound was cut off by the ugly thud of his body hitting the ground. Celebrimbor looked at the olog who stood over the man as he got back to his knees, before he was clouted over the head.

His form fell to the side limply and Celebrimbor sat up quickly, his muscles burning. He started pushing himself away from the scene as the olog picked up the man and tossed him onto his shoulder, turning to him. 

“Oy! He put up a fight?” A voice shouted, he knew it. 

He saw his dinner uruk approaching, looking concerned at the olog.

“ _ He tried to jump off the bridge. _ ” The olog replied in Black Speech. 

“Pick up the Elf? Ok.” The uruk replied, running over to him.

Celebrimbor couldn’t help but cringe at the uruk’s poor translation. He made to stand and the world tilted dangerously. He staggered forward two feet in the direction of the fortress beyond and starting shaking, the spots that had plagued his vision before swarming like enraged hornets. A moment later he felt himself falling and the world darkened completely. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't decided whether or not "Angels Fall" works for Talion here or not.


	3. The Journey Back

Talion registered the pain in his jaw before his aching back. And then he realized his hands and feet were bound together.

He jerked upward awkwardly--his hands behind his back--and opened his eyes as he did so, blinking against the sunlight.

He was in the back of a cart, Ranger walking alongside it and Ratbag held the reigns, caragors pulling them along. Skins were beneath him and the Elf--although he had a few tucked around him--and piled against his feet. 

He glared silently at Ratbag, who turned around after a moment with a grin on his face.

“You thought Eltariel was a fool, didn’t you? Well, let me tell you something, Talion, she saw through your plan as soon as you concocted it!” 

Talion shifted so he wasn’t crushing his hands and replied: “This whole ‘rescue’ was a plot against me, was it? Right from the start.”

Ratbag looked confused. “What do you mean? You rescued Celebrimbor. And we rescued you.” 

“You sent me after the Ringmaker!” He shouted, his head beginning to pound.

Ratbag looked at Ranger and then at the Elf laying beside him. A long silence followed. 

Ratbag looked back at the road and Ranger sent him a seering glance. He glanced at the Elf who was silently crying, his eyes glazed over.

“We know of the utter contempt Eltariel and yourself have against him, but what is it gaining for you? Look at him, do you think he has not paid the price?” Ratbag finally said softly.

He didn’t hear most of what Ratbag had said but after some moments pieced enough of it together.

“If he had not made the rings, my family would not be dead.” He answered.

“And which ring bearers joined the attack at the Black Gate? Sauron would have created them regardless of his involvement, I do believe.” Ratbag replied. 

Talion didn’t answer and laid down, he kept his back to the Elf and quietly stared at the woodwork of the cart. 

___

  
  


He didn’t even try to restrain himself from crying, all these years later and he was still causing so many families heartbreak. 

As much as he was terrified to admit it, he deserved to be in that tower for so many years. He hadn’t deserved this taste of freedom either. So how long would it be before Sauron came after them? 

He caught the gaze of ‘Ratbag’ and the sympathetic expression within made him want to hide himself. There were plenty of skins in the cart to do so. Although then the concerned uruk would want to know why he had done so.

He heard ‘Talion’ shift beside him and noticed he had turned onto his back, deliberately avoiding looking at him. He resolved to stare at him for as long as possible, maybe he could piece together some new details about the man. 

He had not noticed the dark chocolate brown eyes nor the slightly graying hair in the tower. Nor had he realized how muscular he was, had he been excessively training to drown his grief? The new tidbit about the loss of his family had helped him understand why he had tried to jump off that bridge. 

“Oh and Talion?” Ratbag’s voice cut into the silence.

He watched the man bring his gaze to the uruk’s. 

“Ranger is mighty sorry for knocking a tooth out. One of the back ones too, _ eugh _ .” Ratbag cringed and the olog spoke up.

“ _ He deserved it for putting the She-Elf through all this trouble. _ ” He replied, still not using the common tongue. 

Ratbag just smiled, most likely oblivious to the actual meaning of those words and for a long while no one said anything.

Celebrimbor pondered the news of the She-Elf for what must have been an hour. Running that name through his mind several times.

_ Eltariel, Eltariel, Eltariel--No. It cannot be. _

The human’s lover was one of the assassins that plagued the Nazgul for a century? He remembered hearing so much of her as he was being raped. Sauron would always taunt him with the fate that was planned for her should she fall.

_ “Her mate will make a lovely companion for you. Fiery orange hair, sky blue eyes. I am eagerly awaiting the first mistake from the female. She will deliver both of them right into our hands.” Sauron had said. _

_ “And what of her? Oh dearest, she shall bring us a new legion of uruks. And maybe some heirs to the Elven rings.”  _

  
  


_ _ The cold sweat he was breaking out in revived him from the horrid memories. The tears that had stopped up threatening to escape again. Only this time he would not cry. He had to start being strong again. He had kept himself from insanity this long while imprisoned. He would continue to do so now in freedom. 

___ 

  
  


Talion spent much of the day dozing, having nothing else to do, and silently watching the Elf sleep in the rare times they both weren’t. He wondered what had compelled him to drag the Elf’s thin frame up those stairs, despite knowing he had been abused, he couldn’t quell the anger boiling in his veins again.

_ Is it at him or at them? For you would have no such need of this emotion if you were dead. You would be with Ioreth and Dirhael right now. _

He took a deep breath and it caused his jaw to throb. Although the pain had not yet disappeared, he had been so tuned out that he had forgotten it had happened. Or the hit from Ranger scrambled his head. 

Ratbag pulled the caragors to a halt, the sun low on the horizon. They had been out of Gorgoroth for some time it seemed, as they were nearing the mountains and the brook that ran a few paces off the road.

“Think stopping here will be safe?” Ratbag asked Ranger, who nodded.

“Good! Celebrimbor can walk around for a bit, and so can Talion. Although I think you should keep his hands bound and gag him. He might try to call a graug upon us while we sleep!” 

Talion snarled. “I know when I am beaten.” 

Ratbag looked at Ranger and they both laughed. “Well, as you are in an affable mood, you may as well be read your orders from the commander!” 

Talion narrowed his eyes as Ratbag pulled a folded piece of paper out of a new stachel. He made a great show of unfolding it. Talion noticing the Elf had been roused from his slumber from the noise. 

“Listen carefully, human, since you are daft sometimes. Your direct orders from the commander are as follows!  _ Ahem! _ Once you have retrieved your quarry from the fortress of Barad-Dur, you are to escort him safely back to Minas Morgul and help him return to a state of good health and maximum physical capabilities.” 

Talion huffed out a breath and rolled his eyes. “More nursemaid duty?” 

Ratbag snickered. “Oh, you’re going to  _ love _ this next part. If you attempt to kill yourself or endanger the mission in any other way, you will be stripped of your position and be doing random tasks around the city when you are not with Celebrimbor. With constant supervision by Eltariel.” 

Talion’s mouth dropped open and he just stared at Ratbag. Who just kept the condescending smile. 

“Oh look at that, I’m a higher rank than you now.” 

Talion snarled a few foul curses at him and Ratbag pretended to flinch. “Eugh, what foul language. Oh, Celebrimbor, the commander has something for you too.” 

___ 

  
  


Celebrimbor just looked between Ratbag and Talion and hoped the human wouldn’t do something foolish. He could see that he wasn’t wholly there at the moment and wondered if Eltariel had noticed it. Then Ratbag told him of his own orders.

He raised an eyebrow to indicate he wanted to hear, but Ratbag handed him a new parchment. Forcing him to sit up and take it from him, but Ratbag held on.

“You can read the common tongue right? I know you don’t like to talk, but it only occurred to me now that you might only know how to speak Elvish.” 

He nodded and tugged insistently at it, Ratbag releasing his hold. 

_ _

_ Greetings, ringmaker, I do hope you aren’t disturbed by the conditions Talion has put himself in, but alas, I cannot control him. Rest assured, his ‘punishment’ should only last a few weeks.  _

_ Although you will need several months to heal, I have already arranged a task for you to complete: doing the same for Talion as he is going to do for you. I hope you do not mind the presence of Eltariel, she will only be present so Talion doesn’t do something foolish. However, she does hold her own prejudice against you, so I may assign Ratbag and Ranger to your aid as well.  _

_ If it appears the five of you can’t find agreeable terms, I will send yourself, Talion and Eltariel to Rivendell, unless you want to go right away. I have already sent messengers asking master Elrond’s council on this matter.  _

_ I am awaiting eagerly for your arrival. I will let you in on a secret, I hold a firm belief that everything will be fine once you are all in the city.  _

_ ~Elentia, Commander of Minas Ithil.  _

_ _

Celebrimbor smiled. So he was to play caretaker as much as the human? He could do that. They weren’t asking him to return to the forge, so he could do it with whatever was left of his pride. 

He looked up and saw Ranger untying Talion, who seemed a little too calm at the moment. It had not taken him long to read the letter and from the looks of him before, his temper did not cool easily.

He watched the human glance now and again at the bench of the cart and then to Ratbag and Ranger. When he looked away to do something Ratbag had told him, Celebrimbor brought himself to his knees and crawled forward to see what he feared was there.

The sword and dagger were indeed under the bench. Merely tied to the plank beneath them with a simple knot. Did they truly believe the human wasn’t capable of discovering its location? 

Although he didn’t want to do so, he pulled himself onto the bench and undid the knot and pulled the baldric into his lap, examining the weapons.

He pulled the sword free and was somewhat impressed by the work, it was clearly old, but did not have any sign of rust, nor was it too horribly worn. The human took great care with his weapons.

He didn’t see anything more that intrigued him on it and resheathed it. Pulling out the dagger he discovered it were only a sword that had been broken six inches along the blade. It was much newer than the sword. He looked at Talion and he sighed. This had been his son’s sword. Why else would he have such an informal dagger?

He put it away and made to set the weapons back down and looked up to see Ratbag approaching.

“What are you doin’?” He asked casually.

Celebrimbor shrugged and rolled his eyes when he shoved them back under the seat.

“Oh, I see. What a terrible hiding place, right?” Ratbag answered.

Celebrimbor nodded, sitting up and leaning against the backboard.

“He won’t do anything. He’s giving us the silent treatment now too, but he doesn’t look as angry as before.” 

He gave Ratbag a disapproving look but the uruk held up his hands.

“I know why you keep silent. Sorry. I forget that not everyone is as brooding as him over there. But if he does do anything, Ranger’ll put him in his place.” 

That was good enough for him and he nodded again. Ratbag smiled. 

“Forgive me for the constant smiling, but I can’t help but be satisfied we got you out and kept Talion alive too. I think you two will get along once Talion gets over himself, I doubt you consider yourself better than men, eh?” 

Celebrimbor shrugged again. Although he was starting to want to speak again. Despite the fact that his voice was probably permanently gone.

“Ah, well. I’ll get my answer in a couple of days. Now that Talion doesn’t have to worry about patrols and hunting missions anymore, he will probably spend more time in the stables. He has him a pretty dark brown mare. Has a white star on her forehead, one white stocking too on the back left leg. She’s the gentlest mare. He’s taught a couple of the boys to ride on her.”

Celebrimbor raised his eyebrows and glanced at the human, whom was staring at the fire intently at the moment. Looking back at Ratbag, he hoped he would tell him more. He did.

“He rides her around the city when he gets the chance. The few children that are left love it. Always have to give their apples to her. Even if it is there only meal for the day. Which is rather wool headed if you ask me. The horse always gets to eat. They don’t.” 

Celebrimbor looked at the caragors and the severe longing to ride hit him. He hadn’t felt it in so long. He wondered if he still could. Maybe if he got some strength back…

“Well, I have to bring the caragors closer to the fire. Could you move over please?” Ratbag didn’t look like he’d force him to move though.

It was getting dark though, so he pushed himself over to the other side. Time to determine how weak he actually was. If he could keep his balance here, he could ride. 

Ratbag jumped up next to him and untied the reigns from the bench and undid the break. He clucked quietly and the caragors moved forward. He led them towards the fire and stopped the cart about five feet away from it. 

“Ranger’s body will protect it from catching fire should a wind start up. We’ll take turns keeping watch. You just try to sleep. Or you could go sit in front of the fire. Could listen to whatever those two are talking about.” He gestured towards Ranger and Talion. 

Celebrimbor took his time climbing down and watched Ratbag unhitch the team. When he moved them away, he made his way over to them. Surprisingly, he still did not feel lightheaded. He took that as a very good sign and sat down a little ways away from Talion.

His gaze never left those flames and he blinked rarely. His guilt sent a pang through his chest and he had to look at something else. No one spoke and Ratbag returned and started shuffling through the same satchel from which the scrolls had come from.

“Well, our rations are certainly better than yesterday! Catch, Celebrimbor!” 

He looked up in time to see a small roll arc in the air above his head, his arm shot out and almost managed to grab it, instead he knocked it to the side with his fingers and he used his other hand to keep it from falling into the dirt.

“So he can’t walk but can react quickly enough to not have it hit him in the face?” Talion said, sounding rather irritated. 

“Well then, let’s see you catch yours!” Ratbag snapped, flinging it at him.

Celebrimbor snorted when Talion caught it easily with one hand. 

“He’s been out of commission for how long?” Ratbag curled one side of his mouth up in a snarl, making a good show of his tusks. 

Celebrimbor didn’t hear Talion’s answer and his mind started slowly distancing himself from the conversation and group. He couldn’t taste the small portion he’d been given and found himself barely breathing.

How long had he been out. The question seemed like something he should have pondered already. Judging by his surroundings--despite the fact he had only been this far East a few times--it had been some time. He did not remember a stream running through here. Nor the trees that littered the area. 

He should speak up and ask. He told himself. He should finally break his silence and start to return to the world. Yet he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer. He felt like it had only been five hundred years, as terrifying as that answer was. It could be much longer or could be much shorter.

_ ‘It has been exactly one month since you failed and yet, I never tire of seeing you here like this…’  _

Celebrimbor shut his eyes and focused on his breathing. He wasn’t going to remember that. He wasn’t going to break down right here and now. Silently he realized that he had simply been lucky earlier when his memories stopped plaguing him, the sunshine burning away any horrific thought. Now it was nighttime. Now the demons came out to play. So he did the only thing his frantic mind could think of to escape it.

_ One. Two. Three. Four. _

___

Talion noticed the Elf had put his hands on the back of his head before the other two did. And he noticed he was rocking himself a little. Suddenly he felt a little grateful Ranger had untied him and he stood. 

He heard a warning snort from the olog but also caught Ratbag quietly asking the olog to wait.

He walked over and crouched next to Celebrimbor, he could see the partially eaten roll in his hands and wondered what could have possibly happened to make him spiral down into some dark hole. He had seen Eltariel do this once, except this was a little less terrifying, since Celebrimbor wasn’t as likely to kill him in confusion.

“Celebrimbor.” He said, a little satisfaction was gained from the fact his voice didn’t crack. 

The Elf seemed to hear him enough to completely freeze. Eyes never opening, but his breathing seemed to slow. As if he were listening.

“Celebrimbor, you are not under that tower. Do you feel the breeze?” Talion said carefully. 

The Elf shifted a little and took a deep breath. 

“Isn’t it nice? After a whole four days stuck under those hides? Yes, I said four. They seem to forget I know how long the journey takes.” 

He heard Ratbag inhale and this time Ranger stopped him from doing anything. But his attention remained firmly on Celebrimbor. He had seemed to relax a little, with the knowledge they were that far away from the Dark Tower.

“Look at me.” He said softly. 

He almost flinched away when those haunted blue eyes looked at him, glassy with unshed tears. Trembling ever so slightly.

“We are here. And we are with you.” He said, gesturing at himself and their companions. 

The Elf had a faint smile on his lips, it could be a grimace, but he was going to pretend that is what it was. He held out his hand.

  
“Do you want to go back into the cart? It is much warmer there. A lot more comfortable than this hard ground. I will stay with you.” 

He waited, counting the seconds until he was certain the Elf would refuse to move. Positive he wasn’t truly looking at him. He was up to forty-three when the Elf carefully reached his hand out and closed his hand around his. 

Talion didn’t know why he felt utterly elated when he helped pull the Elf to his feet and led him over to the cart, he dropped the tailgate for Celebrimbor and the Elf quietly climbed inside, returning to the spot he had been in thus far. Talion pulled some extra hides around him. Hoping it would ease the Elf’s trembling, even though he knew it wasn’t from the chilled air.

He didn’t bother saying goodnight and jumped up into the bed, pulling the tailgate up behind him and latching it. He laid down facing the Elf and pulled some of the skins around himself. Once he felt he were settled he looked back at the Elf and his heart seemed to hurt for him. Guilt washed over him like a wave and suddenly didn’t understand why he’d been so angry at him. Truly he had done nothing to him. And those shattered sapphire eyes had been like the kick of a mule. 

  
  
  


___ 

  
  


_ The outfit was immaculate, white with no stain or dirt. A soft tunic that mimicked his old court attire, although the sleeves ended in in an inverted V shape. While the neckline was also in a V, it was much deeper than he liked, one wrong move and he could expose himself again.  _

_ The trousers were a grey color and the boots were black. Nothing too detailed about them.  _

_ His hands drifted to the choker around his neck, lace that matched the outfit was interwoven around a ruby encrusted in silver.  _

_ He stared at his reflection in the looking glass and wished he could shatter it. Mayhap he could convince Sauron to let him sleep without chains for once. But that would require sacrifices he wasn’t sure he was willing to make. And what would he even break it with? The bench in front of it was attached firmly to the floor. _

_ His eyes caught movement at the edge of the looking glass and saw Sauron materialize behind him. He hoped he looked as dead as he felt. He had not fought the uruks that came to bathe him, nor the ones that came to dress him. Although he was thankful he was covered. _

_ “My, I didn’t think the seamstress was right about that suit, forgive my error, love. It compliments your eyes beautifully.”  _

_ He thought back to all the creatures he had been exposed too. None of them had been remotely female. Unfortunately his eyes betrayed his thoughts. _

_ “You are not always awake.”  _

_ His eyes widened and Sauron smirked, coming up behind him and placing his head on his. _

_ “You have gotten lucky tonight. As much as I wish to ravage you, we will not have the time this evening. You see, one of our conquests has joined us this evening and I would immensely enjoy seeing him meet the one who forged his new found glory.” Sauron murmured into his ear. _

_ So that was where Sauron had been, seducing another great king to become his sixth Nazgul. He shuddered at the thought and Sauron made a noise before releasing him. Sounding quite displeased he had to do so. He walked towards the door and motioned for Celebrimbor to follow, he did and got into the door frame then froze. _

What are you doing? 

_ “What did you do.” The words seemed quiet.  _

_ “Hmm? What was that?” Sauron asked. _

_ “What. Did. You. Do?”  _

_ A wicked chuckle. “Did you believe I’d just let you walk around freely?”  _

_ The ruby.  _

_ He reached up to rip the awful thing from his throat, realizing he truly had no willpower to touch it. _

_ “Black magic.” He whispered. _

_ Sauron stepped in front of him and leaned down, he gave him a quick kiss. Celebrimbor couldn’t offer any resistance.  _

_ “Come. We must not keep our prize waiting.”  _

_ Celebrimbor felt the tightness in his head wasn’t just a headache. He concentrated on that pain and discovered it was like claws. Several claws that was holding his thoughts in place. Or at least his desire to escape.  _

_ Despair hit him again and he struggled to keep his features neutral looking. He would have an escape from those rooms for a few hours, he could make do with it. He might even have another chance to provoke someone into killing him.  _

_ _

Celebrimbor blinked, wondering why there were stars and why it was so cold. He looked to his side and the memory came rushing back. He were free. And it was because of that human. 

Readjusting the skins and hides around him, he thought about that particular dream and it occurred to him he did not remember anything else from that feast Sauron threw. Or it had been such a horrific night his mind had firmly locked it away. 

He sighed and settled down. If he were judging it correctly dawn was a long way off yet. So he had time to think or rest.

He looked at the human and saw he looked peaceful, he was glad he hadn’t left as soon as he’d fallen asleep. He noticed his demeanor had changed when he’d started breaking down earlier and entertained the idea that maybe he _ did want _ to help him. 

He turned away from him and heard Ranger move, Ratbag snoring somewhere nearby, most likely by the fire. He yawned and decided to go back to sleep. Staying awake wasn’t really worth it. 

And tomorrow he was going to start getting back into shape, come hell or high water. 

___ 

  
  


Talion jumped when he heard something hit the ground behind him and he turned to see the Elf walking alongside the cart behind Ranger and himself. One hand was hanging on to it and the other swung casually. His eyes showed no signs of distress. This was certainly a far cry from last night. 

“Ratbag, what did you do with the food?” Talion asked, jerking a thumb in the Elf’s direction.

“Eh?” Ratbag answered, turning. “Oh! It’s under the seat here. Ranger watch him so he doesn’t try to grab for his sword. I didn’t come this far to get skewered.” 

“Ratbag,” Talion said, climbing onto the cart and reaching beneath the seat, “if I wanted to skwer you, I would have done it when you nearly got us killed in Udun.” 

A bark of laughter from Ratbag. “I should still keep one eye open!” 

Talion yanked the satchel free and balanced himself on one of the boards. Rummaging through until he found the hard cheese. Just to make Ratbag paranoid, he gazed longingly at his weapons as he ripped off a good portion of the cheese. 

He returned the satchel when Ranger gave him a hard look and jumped down, walking towards the Elf he held out the cheese. Grateful when he actually took it and gave a tight smile as thanks. But his gaze was curious too.

“I was part of the squadron assigned to the Black Gate fifteen years ago.” Talion said. “That’s why I was in Udun.”

The Elf looked at him with a suspicious gleam in his eyes for a moment before looking ahead. Talion wondered if he had known the Black Hand during his time in Barad-Dur, he must have. He would ask later, if the topic ever came up again. 

The rest of the day was uneventful like the last few days. Talion kept looking over his shoulder and scanning intently for any signs of disturbances or patrols on the horizon. He was starting to become weary and he wondered if their good fortune was coming to an end. It was a three day hard ride back to Gorgoroth, if they were overrun…

The four of them sat around the campfire and three of them had spent a good portion of the time talking. Although their Elvish companion was a poor conversationalist. As usual. 

Talion glanced at Celebrimbor who’d fallen asleep after eating. He was impressed by the Elf, he managed to walk for at least hours today, albeit intermittently. It was better than anyone he knew, even Eltariel.

_ He was ruler of a country for a few years remember, before he ‘died’.  _

Talion thought about it and it seemed rather far fetched at the moment. He could see him as a smith, but a lord? 

He stretched and banished the thoughts, Ratbag glaring at him when he looked over at the cart.

“Why are you so leery this evening?” Talion asked, smiling just slightly.

“Must be the chill in the air.” Ratbag answered, a scowl beginning to form. 

“Hmm, doesn’t bother me.” Talion replied. 

Ratbag’s visage suggested he was ready to kill him. He was hoping he would. Although he knew the commander would in turn end Ratbag’s miserable life, which would be a shame…

“I’m retiring. Goodnight.” He said.

Thinking it probably a stupid discison to turn his back on Ratbag right now. He did it anyway, but caution still reigned supreme and he glanced over his shoulder after two feet. Ratbag was angrily muttering something to Ranger who was grinning. He didn't want to kill him too badly then. 

  
  
  


_ He rushed up the stairs and into the great hall, a small bouquet of lilies in his hand. He still was in shock he found them. He gave a silent prayer of thanks to the Keeper of the Wild and forced himself to slow down. The doors of the dining room were open and it wouldn’t do if she heard him.  _

_ He heard the singing before he saw her, his smile broadened. Somehow she had convinced the dour women and men to join her song, it echoed throughout the hallways as the song finished and the silence was nearly unbearable as they all went about their tasks.  _

_ He saw movement out of the corner of his eye and saw one of the little girls staring at the flowers wide-eyed and then at Ioreth. He put a finger to his lips before plucking the smallest lily from the bunch and leaning over to hand it to her. _

_ The child’s excited bounce almost gave them away, she realized this and giggled behind her hand, rushing over to her mother with the largest grin.  _

_ He slowed his steps further when he got closer to her and when he was less than a foot behind her, wrapped his free arm around her torso and gave her a kiss on the cheek.  _

_ She jumped and turned to look at him, then she noticed the liles with a gasp.  _

_ “My heart! Where did you find these!?” _

_ _

_ He chuckled. “I am a man of various talents.” _

_ He handed them to her and she glanced around for a moment before kissing him properly, making sure the flowers weren’t crushed between them.  _

_ “Stealing hearts is one of them?”  _

_ “Naturally.”  _

_ She gave him a smirk and motioned towards a small vase, sitting atop one of the tables. He pulled away from her to grab it and when he returned to her side, she had a pitcher of water in her hands. He set it down for her and she poured some of the pitcher’s contents inside before carefully arranging the flowers in it. _

_ “Did you talk to my father?”  _

_ He had to suppress a smile. She didn’t know he had found the flowers while planning for the escape to Rohan he finally had the money for.  _

_ “Yes. He is still adamant about letting us return to Minas Tirith.” He successfully managed sound irritated with the fact.  _

_ “There are other places we could go. I know there is a better life beyond these walls.” She sounded so frustrated. _

_ “I know. Soon, Ioreth.” He murmured, pulling her back into his arms. “We will find a way.”  _

_ She rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes, after a moment she loosed a breath and looked at him.  _

_ “I am going to go talk with your father again. We shall speak of this again in our chambers. I will wait for you tonight.” He assured her, trying his best to ignore the tears in her eyes.  _

_ She nodded and pulled away from him, returning to her previous task. “Can you take these to our room now?”  _

_ “Yes.” He answered, gently taking them away from her.  _

_ He left, simultaneously feeling great guilt and joy. Tomorrow night they would be far away from here. Tomorrow night they’d finally be free.  _

Talion didn’t dare open his eyes and look at the stars above. Ignoring voice in his head that kept chanting:  _ Should have told her, should have left. _

They would have missed the company that sieged the Gate too. They would have been five hours in the other direction. 

The tears rolled down his face and he didn’t bother wiping them away. It was no use. They were dead and he was not. And now he was worried if he did manage to kill himself, they would never pull the Elf out of the abyss. 

Speaking of that Elf, where was he?

He inhaled shakily and wiped his eyes, sitting up. Dawn was an hour away, so he could get up. Gripping the wood he began to pull himself out of the hides when the grief hit him again, harder. He placed his forehead on it and choked back a sob that was threatening to escape. 

He would not have them know. How far he had strayed off the path recently. If they did, he would be confined to Minas Morgul, never again to venture across Middle-Earth. Although, Eltariel was there. And soon so would Celebrimbor.

He sat there for a long while before he felt a hand on his shoulder. He flinched and looked upward to see the Elf quietly standing there, silent as a wraith, his gaze was attached to something else however but he stood so close his head was resting against him. 

In the brief moments between bouts of tears, he realized he’d cut his hair. It’s length had nearly been at the small of his back before and now it was cut to his jaw. Making him look even thinner than he had before. 

He leaned his head against him without thinking and felt an arm around his back, holding him just enough to be comforting. He closed his eyes again and just let his sorrow run its course. It would. Eventually. At this moment he cared not if Ratbag or Ranger saw. He believed the Elf’s body was blocking him from sight though. 

Several moments passed and he started to calm down. He knew he should move and say something, but he couldn’t bring himself to. He felt comfortable here. He was glad he didn’t when the Elf sighed deeply and whispered: 

“ _ I’m sorry. _ ” 

Talion moved his head and looked at him, whispering in reply. “It is not your fault. Truly you must know this.” 

“I do not.” 

“Then we must right the wrongs.” 

The Elf shrugged with one arm. “If you will grant me the opportunity.” 

Talion smiled. “I don’t see a reason you don’t deserve a second chance. I was.” 

The Elf’s expression changed from melancholy to a degree of happiness. He turned his head and met his gaze.

“Thank you.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I needed to add an extra chapter, since I was planning merge the journey home and the return to Minas Morgul in one...But oh well. If a sixth chapter is needed, so be it.
> 
> (Also, what am I doing wrong that has the end note from the last chapter on this one too? This didn't happen with "The Bright Lord" so is it just a bug?)


	4. Minas Morgul

The next three days were spent walking, training and an occasional sentence. However not when Ratbag and Ranger were within earshot.

Celebrimbor was exhausted from traveling and the sudden flurry of activity, but he didn’t mind. He was sleeping well for the first time in centuries. 

He blocked an easy punch from Talion and moved just enough to find an opening inside his guard, sending his own fist into his ribs. Talion pushing their forearms together and knocking his arms inside. He wished the human would actually present a challenge for him, just going through the motions was getting old. 

Talion held up his hands and Celebrimbor straightened. They were done already? It hadn’t even been five minutes.

“You know, it is much more fun to spar if you can actually do it. I’m an idiot, I should be more concerned about getting your weight back up.” Talion said, looking at the ground thinking. 

Celebrimbor looked at Ratbag and Ranger who were dosing by the cart, they were out of earshot for all he was concerned.

“Better than sitting around the rest of the day.” 

Talion jerked his head up as if he were startled he’d received a response, he should be used to it by now. However he hadn’t spoken yesterday, so perhaps he thought he’d retaken his vow of silence. 

“Well, we  _ will _ be in Minas Morgul this afternoon. We won’t be sitting around then. Meeting the commander and Eltariel. Getting you in your own quarters. Finding something better than hard cheese and crackers to eat. Or we could just meet the commander and go right to dinner.” Talion answered, he hadn’t looked away yet. 

Celebrimbor shrugged. The hard cheese and crackers were still better than the wee portion of uruk flesh he usually received for the entirety of his imprisonment. Although he did consider the possibility of venison or duck. He wouldn’t mind that meal one bit. 

“You two finished?” Ratbag’s voice hollered over. “Dawn was an hour ago!” 

“Oh like it will take us more than two hours to get into the city!” Talion yelled back, rolling his eyes and he bent over to grab the waterskin.

Talion seemed content to take his time getting to the cart and while Ratbag was beginning to look irritated, Celebrimbor smirked and kept in with Talion’s leisurely pace. Two hours, hmm? That wasn’t so very long at all and he wondered why Ratbag cared so much. Unless they were being pursued. 

Celebrimbor couldn’t help the glance he sent over his shoulder, the trees seemed peaceful and undisturbed, reassuring him he was safe. He loosed a breath he didn’t know he was holding and relaxed. No one had caught up with them yet and it had been a little over a week. If anyone was coming, they would have overtaken them by now.

They came to the cart and Talion lowered the gate and climbed into the bed, holding out his hand for him. “In two hours we’re finally getting off these awful hides.” 

_ The moon was low on the horizon and the two figures atop the tower leaned against the battlements, wine glasses nearly empty. _

_ “So now that we have finished the rings, what are you going to do with them? Give them to the different leaders like you did my hammer?”  _

_ “Hmm, yes. But once I feel they have earned them. Like once they have shown they can protect their people with great valor or done some good deed.”  _

_ Celebrimbor shifted and looked at Annatar who was staring off into the woods, he was lost in some thoughts or wondering just how he was going to present himself to those who earned the rings. Certainly a being such as himself would not become nervous over such things?  _

_ “Mayhap you can journey with me when I present some of the rings? I’m sure you’d love to see a few of the dwarven kingdoms!” Annatar added. _

_ “If you could find some way to relieve the burdens of governing a place such as this from me. I would go wherever you wanted me too.” Celebrimbor replied, looking into the what remained of his wine. He could see his outline reflecting in the liquid.  _

_ “You are being truthful?”  _

_ “Yes. I am not fit to rule a kingdom such as this. If you gave me the choice, I’d rather follow you and forge the gifts you deem fit for whatever ruler.”  _

_ Annatar looked at him, a gleam in his eyes that could be perceived as hopeful if not a little sorrowful.  _

_ “When I first saw you, Celebrimbor, I had this strange feeling you were my mate. And with this new confession you have only solidified my belief.”  _

_ The angel set down his empty glass and Celebrimbor finished his and set it down as well.  _

_ “Why? Because you grow tired of forging the gifts alone?”  _

_ Annatar moved away from the battlement and took Celebrimbor’s hand, pulling him close. _

_ “It is a lonely existence. And one of your talents shouldn’t just waste away on a throne for the next millenia, or remain trapped here.” _

_ He leaned in and Celebrimbor leaned back, placing two fingers on the other’s lips. _

_ “But we must find another to take my place.” He said, moving his hand to Annatar’s chest. _

_ “Your mother is capable.”  _

_ “My mother doesn’t desire power either. My sister is too young.”  _

_ “And eighty-nine years is too young?” _

_ “To Elves. I am one hundred and three after all.” _

_ “And you were chosen when you were ninety-six.” _

_ “Trained only during my last two years before I turned my first century.”  _

_ Annatar snorted and gently pushed him back until his back was resting against the wall, opposite the battlements. He wrapped an arm around his waist and caressed Celebrimbor’s cheek softly as if he might break. _

_ “I am not made of porcelain.”  _

_ “Your complexion suggests otherwise.”  _

_ He leaned in and kissed him, this time with no resistance and for a moment the world wasn’t anything but his mouth. Firmer than he expected for one who fussed so much over his skin. Tasting more than just of wine, there was desire there as well. _

_ He pushed him a little harder against the stone wall and pulled away, ignoring the soft whine of disapproval.  _

_ “We still have some moonlight to see by.” Annatar murmured into his neck, lips soon against his skin. _

_ “I have to be with my council an hour after dawn.” Celebrimbor answered, trying to control his racing heartbeat, knowing Annatar could feel it.  _

_ “And? We do not need to sleep like humans.” Annatar replied.  _

_ “Perhaps I do not wish to be taken against a stone wall?” Celebrimbor retorted, keeping his voice steady instead of breathless. _

_ “We can go elsewhere. And certainly you have had less romantic  _ encounters? _ ”  _

_ “Or none.”  _

_ Annatar froze and his insistent lips removed themselves from his neck. He brought his head up to meet his gaze and Celebrimbor wasn’t sure he liked the almost feral gleam within. _

_ “Your first lieutenant? The redhead? Hasn’t tried to seduce you? Have you not noticed the way he pines for you?” _

_ “We’ve respected the other’s boundaries.”  _

_ Annatar ran a finger over where he’d been kissing and sighed deeply through his nose. “You’d enjoy yourself. I have taken lovers before.”  _

_ “I will wait until I am sure I have found my mate, thank you very much.” Celebrimbor answered, finally shoving Annatar away from him.  _

_  
__“But what if _I am_ your mate?” Annatar answered._

_ “Then I shall take you gladly. Until then?  _ No. _ ”  _

_ He scooped up his wine glass and left, his mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions, Annatar called him but he pretended not to hear him. Now this was the second time he’d rejected him. Hopefully now that he had told him ‘no’ he would respect his decision. If not, he’d have to tell Rhysand to keep close to him. In case anything went south. _

  
  


_ 1,105 years later _

_ He was dreaming. He knew his body remained in Barad-Dur, but as he looked upon the two figures, he wondered where  _ they _ were. _

_ While he did not recognize the female Elf, he knew the male that accompanied her. Knew from his movements. He stared as they fought the Nazgul, silently pleading for them to run. They did not have a chance, the Witch King was coming. Sauron’s presence was a metallic tang in his mouth and a name echoed quietly through his head. _

_ Dol Gulder.  _

_ A shriek thundered through the courtyard in which they were fighting and the Witch King appeared, although his form was misty at the edges, he were still a wraith. Although within his master’s presence… _

_ The female elf shouted something, he suddenly strained to hear, it sounded like he was listening from beneath water.  _

_ The male ran to the right and she to the left. The Witch King only laughed and whirled on the male, who had frozen. His mace embedding itself into the side of his head, blood and gore oozing out of one eye and out of the hole in his skull. _

_ He saw his ruined face and Celebrimbor’s stomach churned, it was his first lieutenant, the one whom had evaded capture when he had. The one whom Sauron sought to destroy.  _

_ “RHYSAND!? RHYSAND, NO!”  _

_ The female was screaming, the Witch King flicking his empty hand and the rest of the Nazgul fell back. The Witch King began walking forward. She looked like a seasoned warrior, yet she did not stop screaming, a hand held over her heart.  _

_ She was the one his friend had once told him he’d dreamed of. The Elven assassin, whose hair shone like the sun in the darkness.  _

_ Eltariel. Light-Bringer, The Bane of Darkness.  _

_ Realizing this, he uselessly called to her, screaming at her to flee. The Witch King was nearly upon her. She could not be taken. She. Could. Not. _

_ As if she had heard him, she looked up at the Witch King, her eyes unfocused and like the dead’s. She fled.  _

  
  


_ The dream shifted and he saw Galadriel approaching the fortress. Energy surrounded her like a shield and she looked as if she were ready for war.  _

_ Her armor was ancient and showed signs of wear, although slightly. A band across her head had a jewel in it, it shone slightly and she placed a hand to it. Nenya, glowing in response. She wore two short-swords strapped across her back. He realized one of those had been Celebrian’s and the other Rhysand’s. He would know his craftsmanship anywhere. She carried daggers on her waist, he saw two different daggers on her right hip.  _ Those _ had been  _ his _ .  _

_ She continued her trek to the fortress until she reached the gates and stopped before them.  _

_ “You know I have arrived, servant of Morgoth! Come! Answer for the lives you have stolen!” She shouted to the gates.  _

_ A horrible silence followed, one moment passed, then two. A low groaning sound was heard and the gates opened slowly. She did not enter them, instead she shifted into a casual fighting stance and continued to wait.  _

_ “Are you so much of a coward that you will not face me again?!” She challenged Sauron. _

_ The Dark Lord did not answer her challenge.  _

_ She studied the gates and her right hand formed into a fist. Nenya a star on it. She lifted her hands and started muttering things he couldn’t hear. The entire area fell quieter than it already was, it felt like the very ground was holding its breath. _

_ She flung her hands downwards and a burst of power arched forward and slammed into the gateway. It crumbled to dust. She paused a moment and then let out a scream so full of anguish and sorrow and unleashed the entirety of her power onto the walls.  _

_ Within one minute the fortress was utterly destroyed. Not a remnant of stone or wood remained. He watched as ten dark spirits fled from the hilltop and disappeared, Galadriel looking drained and disinterested in pursuing. _

_ She walked to where the courtyard used to be and knelt. She began singing, while it sounded like their language, it was not. It was a quiet, sorrowful song. She did not stop singing as she pulled Celebrian’s sword from her back and plunged it into the ground. _

_ His vision blurred as he fought back tears. Celebrian was dead. How could she be dead? He blinked and they began slowly running down his face. She was singing her tribute to their deaths. He wished he could embrace her and tell her he still lived and that Eltariel had escaped.  _

_ She retrieved one of his daggers from her waist and plunged it into the ground. She pulled the jewel out of her headband and placed it against the dagger. Her song suddenly was cut short and she looked to the skies, she herself had tears running down her face. She waited a moment to compose herself, then reached for Rhysand’s sword and a dagger he didn’t recognize.  _

_ It seemed as if her tears had grown stronger and placed the two weapons in the ground. She wrote each of their names in the shadow of the blades and stayed there for a great while.  _

_ Then the first dream started over again. _

_ ___  _

  
  


He could see the city shining in the distance. It wouldn’t be more than a forty minute wait now. Although he was not eager to face the commander, he was grateful to get his aching bones out of the cart.

Talion hadn’t noticed Celebrimbor had fallen asleep until he was kicked, shaking him from his thoughts. He looked at the Elf and scooted as far away as he could. He wouldn’t disturb him until they reached the city, unless he started crying out. Then he’d have too. 

_ Are you going to let him suffer?  _

His eyes traveled to the thin face and saw tears running down it. Without giving it much more thought, he reached over and just as he touched his shoulder--

“ _ Rhysand! Run! _ ” Celebrimbor shouted as he pushed himself upward. Eyes wild. 

Ratbag and Ranger jumping and both spun around to look at them.

“Whom?” Talion answered. “You are here. You are with us.” 

Celebrimbor wasn’t listening. Instead he put his knees to his chest and rested his forehead on them. He slowly rocked himself and started completely sobbing. 

Talion didn’t know what to do, he hadn’t seen Celebrimbor’s eyes so wild yet. He quietly wondered if Rhysand had been his mate.

“Celebrimbor, look, I can see Minas Morgul now. Do you want to see the city?”

Celebrimbor still did not look up. Instead curling even tighter around himself. 

___ 

  
  


It seemed the Valar had wanted to see him wallow in his own misery. He had slept for so long, trapped within the same loop until he set about trying to claw his way out of it. He heard Talion’s voice yet didn’t dare to look up lest he be in another dream. He kept thinking the same words over and over.

_ This is real. This is real. I am awake. I am awake. _

He couldn’t stop the sobs that he had woken with. These were always the worst kind. It always seemed like they would never end.

“Celebrimbor.” He heard Talion, he seemed far away. Why did he sound so far away?

The next thing he knew, he felt arms around him and a head atop his. His instincts screamed at him to throw him off, but instead he leaned into him. He wouldn’t hurt him the way the others had. None of these people he sought refuge with would. He had to remind himself of it.

He felt Talion stiffen at his movement, but relaxed almost immediately. He realized he could hear his heart from the way they were positioned. He started counting the beats.

One. Two. Three. Four. 

He pulled in a shaky breath and took notice of Talion’s scent. The overwhelming sweat had a smell of wind beneath it and grass. It didn’t surprise him. He forced himself to breathe. In and out. Just ground yourself.

He let Talion stay there until he heard the wheels scrape against stone and he gently shrugged and shifted, Talion letting go at once. His eyes a torrent of questions and concern, but Celebrimbor shook his head before saying: “Thank you.” 

“I’m sorry if I overstepped my bounds.” Talion answered. 

He smiled at the human softly, shaking his head. He felt comfort within and he was going to cling to it.

As they reached the bridge he took a deep breath and held it for a moment. He would walk when they stopped to meet the commander. He would not allow himself to be carried. 

He sent his gaze across the cart and wondered who had the waterskin. Obviously it was not the two of them.

“May I have the waterskin, please?” He asked Talion, who nodded, reaching under the seat where his weapons were. He didn’t even glance at them.

He handed it to him and he uncorked it. “Thank you, Talion.” 

He took the edge from a small pelt and wetted it, carefully wiping at his face. Then his neck and hands. 

He wasn’t going to be the same husk that came out of Barad-Dur. 

He took a small drink and returned the cork to it, handing it back to Talion, who was watching him with a thoughtful expression. He then ran his fingers through his horribly tangled hair, it would keep him busy until they reached the rendezvous.

“What’re you doing  _ that _ for?” Ratbag asked, twisting in his seat. “We all look like shit!” 

Celebrimbor scowled. “I would rather not hear such profanities outside of Barad-Dur. And I am doing it for my own amusement.” 

Ratbag gave a lopsided grin. “Oh, as you wish.” 

He considered throwing a vulgar gesture at the uruk but deemed it a colossal waste of a few seconds. He wasn’t worth it. He gave up on his hair a few moments later, he would have to spend a good amount of time working on it...Perhaps he should saw the rest of it off. It would be a nice change.

_ But this is how sister always wore it.  _

He sighed softly and banished the thought of removing it all. It could stay this way. 

“Are you alright?” Talion quietly asked when the meager people in the upper city started staring. 

  
“No. I feel as if I am a display at a circus. I would rather them know of my presence then being surprised another Elf is in their midst though.” Celebrimbor answered. 

“You’re speaking more.” Talion noticed.

“I will lose my voice permanently if I don’t. And I fear I will have great need for it.”

“Well, to let you in on a secret, Eltariel likes to talk if you show an interest to listen.” 

He winced at her name. Of course Talion commented on it.

“Have you met her?” 

“No. I have not.” 

“If she isn’t ready to throw me in the dungeons when we return, I’m sure you will see her today if you so desire.” 

He gave Talion a confused look and the human chuckled. “She has a tenderness for me I am not sure I care for.” 

“Doesn’t she despise the rings as much as yourself? Certainly you’d make a good pair.” 

“And let her be heartbroken again when I die? No. We would not.”

A silence fell between them and Celebrimbor wished he hadn’t said anything about the rings. He wondered if the three of them would get along. Although he had caused them so much heartbreak and had robbed them of their significant other…

Ratbag halted the cart and gave Talion a gleeful expression. “Here is your judgement, ranger!” 

He watched as Talion rolled his eyes and gave him the gesture he had been thinking of earlier. “Since I no longer have to hold myself up as an example to the others. Have a nice day.” 

___ 

He couldn’t help but grin at Ratbag’s snarl of hatred. Oh how he wanted to do that for the last week and a half. He jumped out of the cart and walked around to extend a hand to Celebrimbor.

“Come, let us discover what she truly wants. I have a feeling that letter was a mere guideline.” 

He smirked at Ratbag as the Elf took it and hopped down, the Elf wringing his hands together.

“Don’t do that. She isn’t  _ that _ scary.” Talion said, meandering towards the door.

Celebrimbor gave him a cold stare and he grinned. Oh, he was going to utterly damn himself in the great hall. If she wasn’t going to let him kill himself, perhaps she could be convinced to send him to the executioner instead. 

He opened the door for the Elf and he did not walk in right away. Talion looked inside the hallway in confusion and realized it was shadowy, like the inside of the dark fortress. He prepared to speak but Celebrimbor lifted his head and walked in. Talion following.

His bravado disintegrated as soon as he caught sight of the commander. She looked tired and old. He noticed she held the dark piece of fabric she used to block the palantir’s sight up and knew she was spying on something. He sighed, as old as she looked, she most likely had been studying them closely on the journey home.

She looked up when she noticed their footsteps and quietly put the cloth back over the palantir and gave a very forced smile, moving to greet them.

“So it appears you have accomplished your task. Albeit with some extra convincing. How’s your jaw feeling?” 

She was going to skin him alive, the venom in her voice was enough to poison the strongest of uruks. He did not flinch. A cold anger started churning through his veins.

“Very well, ma’am. No thanks to your finest olog.” He managed to keep his voice even.

“Oh?” 

She walked closer and before he registered her movement her fist connected with his jaw in the same place Ranger had clocked him. It hurt considerably, mostly because he had a feeling it was infected. He was planning to take the hit and say nothing, but then the room tilted and he fell to the floor.

He looked up at her and noticed the ring on her finger was glowing slightly. So she wasn’t strong enough to floor him by herself. He shifted to retaliate but her hand drifted slightly to the dagger on her hip.

“Do you have any idea how hysterical I have been this last month wondering what we’d do without you?” She snarled.

He couldn’t think of a response and just stared at her. The shock was written plainly on his face.

“What would young Benjamin do without his hero? The man that saved his life in the final days of the siege against this city. Hmm? What would the ten year old do when he realized the only man he ever called “father” had killed himself out of grief? What would the old healer do without her favorite runner? Hobble into the woods herself looking for the herbs we need? Face caragors and graugs on her one hundred year old legs?” 

“I’m--” He began.

“ _ SILENCE! _ What would Eltariel do when she got word that the only other person she dared love killed himself because he could not accept his family was dead?! All our families are dead and yet we keep going.  _ Why? _ Because there is a better world out there that only we have a chance to summon! We are all that can defend against the Dark Lord so that our descendants may breathe free air! That won’t happen if we all give up!” 

She was having a hard time catching her breath. The guilt she had hoped to give him was almost overridden completely by his concern. She was sick. She was never ill unless she had been exposed to the Dark Lord’s power continuously. 

“I was almost ready to let you go, Talion.” She said in between breaths. 

“I was ready to say goodbye. I held out hope you would change your mind after you rescued him...But then you left him on that bridge. Then I realized I couldn’t if only because I wanted to kill you myself for leaving him. As  _ selfish _ as it may be. But I can’t do it. I can’t bring myself to order your execution. And punishing you for grief...You will spend as long as you like in the dungeons however.” 

Talion raised an eyebrow but stayed quiet. She would sentence him to the same fate he’d freed Celebrimbor from? 

“I am hoping the time without any distractions will give you an understanding of the gift we have here. In one week, you will be escorted around the city to see what you could have. If you decide to abandon your quest for death, you will help Eltariel take care of lord Celebrimbor.”

She whistled a four note summons and six guards walked in. He debated gutting one. But they most likely had orders to keep him alive. And if he ever wanted to get out of those dungeons... 

He had trained three of them when the city had been in the apex of the siege and that had been ten years ago. He stood, watching every single person except Celebrimbor go reaching for weapons. At least none of them were fools. 

He simply stood there and let them bind his wrists. Slightly annoyed when one fumbled with the knots. He knew how to do this. He did not even look at Celebrimbor as they led him away, some quiet part of his mind hoped he wouldn’t have an attack at the sight. 

The trek was not far, for the cells were under the great tower. So all he would hear the endless sounds of the river. Wonderful. He would not be able to glean any of the events happening around him unless someone gave a report. Which was as likely to happen as his death.

“I’m sorry, Talion.” One of the older guards--Kenneth-- said when he unlocked his cell. Of course it was the one in the back. The darkest corner.

He did not reply as he entered the cool cell, turning so Kenneth could release his wrists. He did not watch them leave and quietly took inventory of his new home. A bucket and a pile of hay. No blanket. He smiled softly, the walls were too short to do anything with it anyway. 

He felt as if he should be doing something to protest his current predicament, yet he felt nothing. Truly it made no difference to him whether he was alive out there or alive here. So what if he spent the rest of his life doing nothing? 

...So what.

___ 

Celebrimbor’s thoughts were in turmoil. He could see the panic in the woman’s eyes, he wondered why she had chosen that route while he was present. If only so Talion didn’t suddenly disappear?

As soon as Talion was out of sight, she turned to him. He could see she was shaking fiercely with her silent sobs and he stepped forward, looking for any signs she would fall. Even if he would be useless trying to catch her. 

Elentia she had addressed herself as in the letter. He had almost expected an elvish female. Some of her hair was a dark brown, so dark, in fact, he could have sworn it was black when the light cast a shadow over it. The rest had turned silver. 

Her eyes were a ghostly blue and he wondered what sort of genetics would give her such a haunted color. She almost looked possessed. He couldn’t ignore the bags under her eyes and the slight wrinkles. Although wrinkles meant absolutely nothing, she looked like she’d been crying for weeks. Perhaps she had. 

She wore the same uniform as the guards, there was nothing about it to suggest her rank at all. She must have not always been a soldier. Or she chose to downplay her rank. He respected her for it. 

“I-I’m sorry.” She stammered. “I do not wish to startle you. I felt I had no other choice. Certainly you can understand that?” 

She had referred to him as ‘lord Celebrimbor’, it did not seem appropriate for her to address him as such. But he did remember hard days when his own army had gotten out of line.

“I can.” He said, his voice sounded hoarse. Had it sounded that way before? 

She moved to walk back towards the orb under the cloth but fell. Instincts made him jerk forward, cringing at the crack of her knees hitting the stone. He was so slow. But he could still try to comfort her.

He carefully made his way forward, intentionally dragging his feet so she would hear him and knelt beside her. She looked up at him and wiped at her eyes with her right hand. His gaze snapped to the ring on it. 

It was a silver ring with an inscription on it. It was a little more square than the one, but it looked like one of his, yet flawed. Like he had left the project to someone else. He glanced at the inscription again and could not read it. It was obviously elvish, but it was like someone had blotted out his understanding of what the words meant. He could appreciate it being done in lapis lazuli though. 

He could have sworn he heard a distant roaring and the sound of a hammer on steel.

“It must not be to your standard of quality with you scowling at it so.” He heard her chuckle far, far away.

“Pardon?” He shook his head, suddenly realizing he had been intently staring at it.

She cocked her head to one side. “I said: “It must not be to your standard of quality.” You were scowling at it like it displeased you.” 

“I didn't realize I was.” He answered. “Although the artistic quality is good, it has its flaws.” 

Her jaw dropped slightly. “It is exquisite, even if it is simple.” 

“But it is flawed in several ways. For one, the letters are just a fraction off in the inscription in each one. Some are higher than others.” He said, taking her hand and inspecting it closely. 

He cringed when he realized he’d grabbed her hand without permission and dropped it. It also occurred to him that he had been talking about it at all. He hadn’t talked about jewelry or anything like that in centuries. She might have thought him insane for noticing a detail her mortal eyes couldn’t possibly see. Yet, she still stared at it intrigued. 

“You can really see that? No wonder you were called the ‘greatest smith’ of the second age.” Her voice was filled with awe. 

He was surprised she seemed so interested. It took him a long while to remember he was possibly one thousand years her elder. And he could now find out how long he had been imprisoned. 

He opened his mouth to speak when he heard a light set of footsteps approaching. He looked up to see a blonde Elf approaching.

A weight settled itself in his chest as he remembered the dream from earlier. He wondered why she’d never returned to Galadriel. Clearly her mistress had cared for her. His heart seemed to be pounding in panic as he recalled being told she despised him.

He met her gaze and his anxiety threatened to choke him when he saw no ire in her eyes. Only a quiet understanding.

“Are you both quite alright?” She asked, the concern overwhelming. 

“I think I will be fine.” Elentia answered. He would not refer to her as anything else unless he truly joined her cause. 

“What about...What about the ringmaker?” Eltariel’s voice broke.

He found himself unable to bring himself to speak so he nodded. He noticed Elentia’s look of worry. 

“You threw him in the dungeons. Didn’t you.” Eltariel stated. 

“Yes. I did. He looked...Hollow.” Elentia replied. 

“He is broken. I wished his desire to help others was stronger than his grief and that saving him would have brought him back. It appears it only made him worse.” 

Celebrimbor looked at her and saw conflicting emotions in her eyes. Had Talion not reciprocated her feelings? The way everyone talked, it was as if they had already been lovers. 

Elentia said nothing more about it and extended a hand towards Eltariel who grabbed it, she reached towards him and Eltariel pulled both of them up. She was strong, although he couldn’t weigh more than one hundred pounds. That thought shook his shaky confidence. 

Again the mystery surrounding his imprisonment nagged at the back of his mind and he finally asked: “What year is it?” 

Eltariel looked at Elentia who thought for a moment until she said: “Two thousand twenty nine, eighty nine.” 

Everything froze. All he could hear was his heart racing. He felt like his thoughts were wading through mud. It couldn’t have been. He...He had been abused for that long? And had never once stopped to consider he might be saved? 

He couldn’t feel anything. His breath was too shallow. The roaring in his ears had stopped suddenly. A blackness started creeping in his peripheral.  _ No _ . Nonononononononononono. 

He vaguely realized he was falling when the blackness consumed his vision. 

___ 

Eltariel lunged forward when she realized he’d fainted and managed to catch him before his head slammed into the marble floor. She heard the commander move but did not look at her. Instead, she stared at the gaunt face and wondered how he had ruined her life so thoroughly. And what he had done to deserve that fate. 

_ You must have been something to behold twelve-hundred years ago. If you were kept alive. _

She could smell dirt and sweat on him, but the lingering rancid smell of uruk and their blood was what she focused on. She cringed at the obvious musk smell. They had spent a week and a half taking the long way back to Minas Morgul and yet that smell remained. She was going to vomit if she didn’t take him to Genevive  _ now. _

She pulled him further into her arms and stood, the guilt weighing heavy in her chest. The commander already had the door open for them. She gave a nod of thanks as she passed and made a mental note to check on her later. She looked anxious. She must be worrying about her daughter and the added stress of this whole fiasco certainly didn’t help.

Maybe she’d been wrong to inform the commander of Talion’s death wish. Maybe he would have been happier if he’d died.

_ But you wouldn’t be. Would you be carrying the ringmaker to the infirmary right now if you thought he had gotten Talion killed too? _

She grit her teeth and shifted his too light body slightly. After what she’d just seen, she had no right to wish him dead anymore. He had paid dearly for his role in the creation of the rings for centuries. She glanced at his face and wondered if she’d have to keep him from killing himself too.

Her thoughts again turned to Talion and she debating going down to see him. Perhaps she could take out some of her building frustration and horror on him. Although she wasn’t in the mood to get into that shouting match. She wasn’t even sure she was stable enough to get through the rest of the day without completely breaking down. 

She heard two sets of footsteps behind her, one dragging and clumsy, the other heavy and sure. 

She turned to see Ratbag and his olog Ranger following her at a careful distance.

“What happened to ‘im?” Ratbag asked quietly when he noticed her glare.

“Fainted. He’s been in that tower for one thousand, two hundred ninety-two years.” She said curtly, turning away from them. She was half tempted to rip Ratbag’s throat out just for being present. 

She was surprised at the flurry of curses that erupted from his mouth and looked over her shoulder.

“That makes him one thousand, ninety two.” She added.

“I figured that!” Ratbag snarled. “Although, it does make your five hundred years seem rather puny, don’t it? Not so high and mighty anymore, are ya?” 

She bared her teeth at his response. “It will make your fifteen years and  _ three _ months seem like a waste of time.” 

She watched him nearly soil his pants when he put two and two together, he was only fifteen years and two and a half months old. Ranger letting out a dark laugh, Ratbag backed away a few steps.

“Were you ambushed on the way back?” She asked suddenly. 

“No. Never saw nobody.” 

She furrowed her brow. Odd. If the ringmaker was the Dark Lord’s prize from a war, he would not have given him up so easily. Or was he tired of this worn and broken plaything? Or did he wish to break his spirits entirely when he reclaimed him?

She shivered and discovered she’d broken out in a cold sweat. It could have very easily been her beside him if the Nazgul had captured her at Dol Guldur. They had made it no secret they had wanted her to breed them an army. Although when no one pursued her, she wondered if they were only doing it to taunt her Rhysand. 

The three of them made it to Genevive’s door and Ratbag pushed in front of her and knocked.

“Miss Genevive? Miss Genevive, may we come in? Eltariel has brought the prisoner from Barad-Dur!” 

There was a great clamor inside and the door flung open. “Come in!” 

Eltariel didn’t spare a moment to think of Ratbag’s unusual manners and hurried inside. She took note of the pans on the floor and figured that was what the noise was. The old woman pointing frantically at an open bed closest to the fire. Eltariel glanced at her out of mild concern and saw her face was set in a worried expression. As she set the ringmaker down, she heard footsteps behind her.

“Can you smell _ any _ injuries on him?” Genevive asked, rummaging around in a chest at the foot of the bed for something.

“No. External or otherwise.”

She was given a suspicious glance before the old woman straightened and rushed over to her wash basin, soaking the cloth she had pulled from the chest. She limped over and reached to place it on the ringmaker’s forehead.

“Don’t touch him!” Eltariel snapped suddenly.

The old woman jumped and looked at her confused. 

“He...He was a sex slave in that tower. I don’t want him to wake up and panic.” She added, her voice barely over a whisper.

Genevive looked at the ringmaker and clucked her tongue. “Poor thing.”

She turned back to her wash basin and carefully placed the cloth inside. She made Eltariel jump when she slammed her fist onto the bench.

“A-are you alright?” Eltariel asked.

“What do you think?” 

Eltariel didn’t answer and made for the door. She needed to go hunting.

“Where’s Talion? Isn’t he supposed to be caretaker for him?” Genevive asked suddenly.

“Uh, he’s currently indisposed.” Eltariel said quickly.

“Why.”

That wasn’t a question. 

“He tried to kill himself. According to the commander he left his quarry on the bridge between the two fortresses. If it weren’t for Ratbag and Ranger, he’d be dead. The commander threw him in the dungeons.” 

“What for? To make him think? She should have quarantined him here. I’d straighten him out.” 

Eltariel snorted. “What are you going to do to an ox of a man?” 

Genevive gave a sly smile. “Two months of being trapped in here making tonics and healing the sick would make anyone abandon their foolhardy plans.” 

“But he was dead set on it.”

“Eltariel, he is lost. His duty was to his family and he could not protect them. His hatred for the Dark Lord burned brightly until we re-established ourselves here. He had nothing but vengeance to keep him going until we cleared out the uruks which took until six years ago. We feared we’d find him dead one morning, it had gotten so bad the commander limited his patrols to the safe-zone only and only ever with her and her most elite. Then, one morning about five years ago. We just happened to discover a wild Elf living in the woods. All of the sudden he had something to live for again. But now that you can go several months without an episode, the task that kept his mind occupied is nonexistent.” 

Eltariel thought about it for a while. “Although one might question his motives at deciding to keep living when a female is involved.” 

Genevive gave her a knowing smile. “ _ Whose _ motives again, dearie?” 

Eltariel stuck out her tongue at her and the old woman laughed. The immatureness of it was not lost on Eltariel however. 

“Since Talion is indisposed, I want you in here taking care of him. Since you are currently between duties it shouldn’t be a complaint?” Genevive asked.

Oh great. Being stuck in here with the ringmaker.

“Uh, the commander did have something she wanted me for.” Eltariel hoped she’d buy it.

“Liar. Who is this Elf that you are so disgusted? Don’t try to lie again, the contempt is written plainly on your face.” 

“The ringmaker, Celebrimbor.” 

The old woman glanced between the two of them and nodded slowly. “So I see. Well, if you’ve moved on enough to start pursuing Talion, you should make an effort to forgive him.” 

She pointed at the ringmaker. “He is not going to recover from his time in the tower.  _ Ever. _ Just like you won’t recover from losing your mate. Except what happened in a moment for you, he endured for centuries. He’ll have good days and bad days, just like yourself. But he won’t ever truly be out of that fortress.” 

Eltariel clamped down on the anger ready to burst and she replied: 

“How bold of you to assume he’s been in there for centuries.” 

“I know my history, Elf! I know he fell in the 1,967th year!” The old woman shouted.

Eltariel wanted to shout back, but what would it accomplish? She opened her mouth to reply but the old woman cut her off. 

“Begone! I want nothing more to do with you until you’ve sorted yourself out!” 

Eltariel was ready to hold her ground but she saw a sorrow in the old woman’s eyes she had not seen prior. She slowly realized how much it must hurt her, to learn Talion had almost died and her own selfishness of hating the ringmaker. She turned and left without another word. 

___

_ The woods were cool in the morning, so that was when they had decided they were going hunting. Promising their mothers profusely that they would be back long before dinner. Although the two agreements were reluctant, they had taken it for a victory. _

_ “And I thought my mother was paranoid.” Rhysand said beside him. “Your mother almost fainted when you asked her if you could leave the grounds.”  _

_ Celebrimbor smirked at him. “You think she would have been happy I was getting out of the forge.”  _

_ “She must loathe the fact that she raised a forge-goblin. Why, you could have been a fine warrior like myself!” Rhysand answered, puffing out his chest.  _

_ Celebrimbor shoved him. “Some fine warrior! I watched my baby sister wallop you last week!”  _

_ “I let her!” Rhysand shoved back. _

_ “Sure you did. She only knocked you on your ass within thirty seconds!” He was laughing now. _

_ Rhysand gave a mock growl and lunged at him, Celebrimbor dodged the first attack then the second, but the third. _

_ “WHOA!”  _

_ He grabbed for Rhysand as he fell and dragged them both into a ditch. Rhysand cushioning his fall somehow. They must have rolled. He blinked and noticed Rhysand’s eyes were wide when he saw he was on top of him. Oops.  _

_ They stared at each other for a long while and Rhysand broke the silence: “So are you going to do it or not?”  _

_ “Am I going to do what?” Celebrimbor answered.  _

_ “Are you going to kiss me? You said you wanted to before, kiss me!”  _

_ He looked at him like he was crazy. Although what would his future wife think if he had no experience?  _

_ He leaned down and paused when he felt Rhysand shift, suddenly suspicious he might flip him. But the feeling passed when the weight of Rhysand’s arms settled onto his lower back and stayed there. He closed the distance between them.  _

_ It was strange and new, he was nervous all at once and his friend’s lips were soft. What kind of warrior had soft lips?  _

_ He forgot all about it when Rhysand’s tongue brushed against his own lips, he froze for a brief second until he parted them enough to let his friend explore. A few moments later it turned a little more aggressive and they silently fought for dominance.  _

_ Rhysand pulled away suddenly and Celebrimbor opened his eyes, he didn’t notice they were shut until just then. He wondered what was wrong with Rhysand but laughed when he saw he was panting like a dog. _

_ “Sorry. Couldn’t breathe.” He smirked. _

_ “Some warrior.” Celebrimbor teased, moving to get up. _

_ “Aww, where ya going?” Rhysand groaned his displeasure.  _

_ “Well, we’ve most certainly scared the game away. Thank you very much, Rhysand. And you could have injured yourself in the fall. Thank you for the soft landing.”  _

_ Rhysand grunted as he stood. “You aren’t welcome.”  _

_ Celebrimbor had climbed out of the ditch and extended his hand to Rhysand.  _

_ “So what do you think of the ‘forge-goblin’ now? Hmm?” _

_ “I think he is the only one I would be stupid enough to have a first kiss with.”  _

_ Celebrimbor blinked and gave him a wicked grin. “Oh really?”  _

_ “I heard you were good at keeping confidences. So you better not say anything to anyone else!” Rhysand exclaimed. _

_ Celebrimbor put a finger to his chin. “Hmm, endless insults and teasing since childhood and you expect me to stay silent about your desire to kiss me?”  _

_ Let him sweat a little. _

_ “Celebrimbor, I swear to--”  _

_ Celebrimbor laughed. “You dolt, I’m kidding. At least now we won’t be complete fools when a female courts us.”  _

_ “You think any female would like the two of us?” _

_ “We enjoy the others company.” _

_ “That’s different. We’re males. Some fancy lady might not take a liking to us.”  _

_ “Rhysand, you’re hopeless if you keep talking like that.” _

_ “I suppose so. Let’s go home, we’re soaked.” _

_ So they were. Celebrimbor hadn’t noticed at all. But he supposed he was always sweating so it made no difference to him. _

_ “You know, I had a dream the other night.” Rhysand said as they gathered their gear. _

_ “Oh? Let me guess: Great glory in a large war? Marrying Celebrian?”  _

_ “No and no. I saw a pretty Elf dame, she had beautiful blonde hair that looked like gold had been weaved into it. Her blue eyes weren’t as pretty as yours, but they did glow with a slight mischief. She was a warrior. What if I don’t become the great warrior but instead marry one?”  _

_ “So you’d play house-husband so she could win wars? Would you be willing to do that?” _

_ “If we had children, yes. A warrior lady and her red-headed husband. Imagine those children, either redheaded and wild or blonde and sophisticated.”  _

_ Celebrimbor smiled, it was a different picture. Then he remembered what had happened a few minutes prior. _

_ “So you come out here and beg me to kiss you, only for you to tell me about this wonderful lady you think you’ll marry?!” His voice was a loud screech. _

_ “Oh come now, Celebrimbor! Don’t be sore! I had to tell somebody and it’s even better I had somebody to practice on!”  _

_ “Ugh!”  _

_ He threw up his hands in disgust and turned his back on him, he couldn’t help the small smile though. _

_ “Celebrimbor, come on! Who were you gonna kiss otherwise?” _

_ Celebrimbor turned to face him again and crossed his arms. Noticing Rhysand was carrying both their things. He stood there awkwardly with too many objects hanging off of him. _

_ “You may have a point.” Celebrimbor said, moving forward and taking his bow and quiver from him.  _

_ “But you could have bought me a gift or something first.” He pulled his satchel over his shoulder.  _

_ “What could you ever wish for? You could just make it. What were you expecting? A romantic dinner just for a kiss?” _

_ “You could have smuggled me some chocolate. You get closer to the kitchens than I ever do.”  _

_ “You could have just said so. But if you’re that upset, I won’t do that again. I’m sorry.” _

_ Celebrimbor started backing up. “I liked it, Rhysand. You just had to wait a couple of days to tell me about your mysterious lady though.”  _

_ “Noted. Friends?”  _

_ Celebrimbor looked at him from under his eyelashes. “For now.” _

_ “But no further activities except kissing, right?”  _

_ Celebrimbor gave him a sharp look, Rhysand held up his hands. Celebrimbor nodded. _

_ “I have to agree with you on that one, Celebrimbor, now that I know what she looks like, I don’t mind waiting! And your options are poor around there, Deliah for examp--”  _

_ “You slept with Deliah?!” _

_ “Yeah. That was dumb, she was horrible! And I know she fooled around with those dwarves that came with their parents. I thought she got some insider knowledge from that!”  _

_ Celebrimbor rolled his eyes and they quietly continued through the woods for a while. _

_ “Rhysand?” _

_ “Yes?” _

_ “You’re forgiven.” _

_ “I am?” _

_ “Yes, maybe I’ll make you a sword or something to show your lady warrior when you meet her. It would be a shame if the mighty warrior did not have a proper blade.” _

_   
_ _ “Are you saying the one Narvi made me is awful?” _

_ “...Maybe.”  _

_ “And he’s going to make you a really awesome bow too!” _

_ “He is?” _

_ Rhysand’s face had gone red. “Uh. I said nothing. Try to act surprised when your next birthday rolls around, how old are you going to be now? Ninety-four?”  _

_ “Yeah.” _

_ “Oh good, I guessed right.” _

_ “Rhysand, you are making it very difficult not to use you as target practice when I get this awesome bow.” _

_ Rhysand chuckled. “I would be an excellent coat.” _

_ “You disgust me.”  _

_ “As I should!”  _

_ They were both grinning like fiends and the city came into view. _

_ “Well, what if that kiss makes things super awkward between us?” Rhysand questioned. _

_ “Why would it make anything awkward?” Celebrimbor answered, looking confused. _

_ “Uh, I don’t know. I did mention that female. What if you looked at her and all you could think was: “I kissed your husband”.” Rhysand used for an example. _

_ Celebrimbor gave a deep sigh and Rhysand laughed. “I better go find my mother and explain that we didn’t make it very far into the woods. I wonder if she’ll make me chop wood for your forge for taking you out of it?” _

_ “See you at dinner. Of course, you may end up becoming a forge goblin yourself if you find you like the forge when you bring my delivery.”  _

_ “You wish!” Rhysand said, breaking out into a sprint.  _

_ “You better hope so!” He called after him. _

_ He couldn’t get rid of his grin as he walked back to his home. Even if Rhysand had only used him for an experiment, he still must have had feelings for him. Even if the dolt didn’t understand it was only friendship.  _

  
  


_ Nine years later.  _

_ Glass shattered and Celebrimbor couldn’t help bringing his hands up to shield his face, despite the fact the remnants were nowhere near him. He stayed huddled in the corner hoping Sauron would not come up with any uses for that broken glass. Hoping it had just been an accident, but then his bane walked up to him and grabbed his hair and started aggressively petting it. _

_ “It’s no use love, I can still smell your accursed lieutenant on you!”  _

_ He stayed frozen and refused to move, Sauron gave no heed to the snarls in it and it hurt painfully. Yet he did not dare move. Hoping Rhysand had fled, far, far away.  _

_ “When I find him, you’ll drink his blood and his scent on you will become another one of my victorious. How does that sound, pet?” _

_ If only he had the will to be whipped again, he would tell him exactly what he felt about it. He would not give Sauron the satisfaction of replying either. Although fate did not seem kind to him today. _

_ “I said, how does that sound, pet?”  _

_ There was a sharp yank on his hair and he was looking into Sauron’s horrible face. He acted without thinking and spat in his face. Only then realizing what he had done. He felt his face fall and knew he looked like a scared animal. _

_ Sauron smiled slowly and wiped the offense away. He chuckled and it turned into a full on laugh. Celebrimbor felt his heart speed up. What had he done?  _

_ The next thing he knew he was in the air and he slammed down into the glass shards. He yelped and tears stung his eyes. Sauron was atop him in an instant, his smile had turned into a sneer.  _

_ “There’s was the fire I claimed you for. But what is the matter, elfling? No longer very defiant are we?”  _

_ Sauron pushed against his shoulders hard and his shoulders and back dug into the glass, he screamed and hoped it was enough.  _

_ “I do wonder why he had never advanced on you though. You are so pretty. He must have been thinking about it, the more so after you were given your title. Imagine that. Your beloved lieutenant making you writhe and beg.”  _

_ He tried to focus on anything other than Sauron’s voice. But there was no other sound except the shifting of the glass on occasion. He couldn’t do anything to defend himself, Sauron had made sure of that when he starved him nearly to death.  _

_ “Would you have begged him to stop like you did me, pet? Or would you have been begging for more? ‘Fuck me, Rhysand! Harder! Faster!’”  _

_ A quiet rage he had long since lost came forward. He would not take this. He had enough! _

_ Without thinking he sat up and shoved Sauron as hard as he could and then rolled off of the glass that wasn’t in his back. He had to get it out, somehow. He began crawling to where he had been before when a knee slammed into his stomach. He vomited and was shoved into the pool. It reeked.  _

_ He heard Sauron yank his belt free and he cringed. Knowing him he was going to beat those shards even further into his back before taking him. And then bark at whatever healers he summoned to hurry along, as it was their place to heal, not dawdle or stare.  _

_ He heard the snap of the belt before he registered the pain. He would bite clean through his lips one of these days trying to contain his screams, they were quite mangled as it was though, he wasn’t sure it would make a difference.  _

_ He kept beating him until he couldn’t restrain himself anymore and cried out. And Sauron did not stop until long after he no longer had a voice. Until he was certain no one was getting that glass out. Then he was released and he moved out of the filth. He lay on his side unmoving and prayed hopelessly for death. It would never come. He was immortal. _

_ Then he heard clothes hitting the ground and he couldn’t stop that sob. Or the next. Or the next. He refused to let himself lose hope entirely. Someone would come. Someone  _ would _ come.  _

_ Wouldn’t they?  _

  
  


_ _ Celebrimbor awoke and clutched at the blanket that had begun to slip off of him. He blinked when he realized he was fully clothed and in a stifling room. Where was he? He had been in the great hall...Where was Talion?

He looked about in a mild panic and saw an old woman asleep leaning against a desk. Then he saw the she-elf. She gave a conspirators grin when she noticed him and held a finger to her lips, using her free hand to point at the old woman. 

“I’m not supposed to be here. She kicked me out because of my ‘foul attitude.’ But I figured you’d want company if you woke up in the middle of the night. Which you did.” She whispered. 

He nodded and sat up. That sent his head spinning and he laid back down. He sighed and just kept watching her. Wondering why she wore dark pants and a green tunic but no weapons. Nothing but boots and a belt to compliment her figure. Unless Elentia did not allow weapons casually. 

“Do you want some water or something to eat?” She asked after she finished watching his assessment of her. 

He made the motion for a drink and she got up quickly. Although she appeared to be lost on the position of cups. He felt drained and wanted to do nothing more except to go back to sleep. He debating it as she handed him the cup. Drinking a couple sips and handing it back, he was racked with chills.  _ Great. _ In this furnace of a room too. 

He lay back down took some time to get adjusted accordingly and took a few more moments to look around, Eltariel’s eyes never straying too far from him or the door. He was curious about so many things about her, but couldn’t bring himself to begin asking. There was something in her eyes that unsettled him and it was not the hatred he had noticed earlier. He silently prayed she had not fallen to Sauron and only she was still grieving. 

In the warmth it was impossible to keep from closing his eyes and soon he’d fallen asleep again.

“Eltariel! Get your useless carcass out of my sight!” The shout shook him out of his slumber and he sat up quickly, hand reaching up instinctively to claw at the collar that used to be around his throat. The other for a weapon he did not have.

Eltariel was staring up at the old woman who was shaking her fist above her head, it was obvious she’d dropped her guard and had fallen asleep. For an assassin, she was rather careless.

She scrambled away from the old woman muttering apologies about various things and fled. Celebrimbor couldn’t stop himself from smiling. This surely ancient Elf was running away from a human woman? 

The old woman turned to him and mirrored his smile. “I’ll let her back in tomorrow. But for now? She has to go sort out her issues. I won’t be having that kind of temper around you right now.”

So the she-Elf had a temper. Good to know. 

He jumped when a familiar sound echoed throughout the house and he turned to see the sky light up behind him. A thunderstorm? 

“Perhaps I should not have sent her out into that storm...Bah. Her home isn’t too far away.” The old woman said.

Celebrimbor looked at her and took a moment to gather her details. The hair that was undoubtedly a mess of grey snarls. Her hunched over frame and the old, old dress she wore. He wasn’t even sure what color it had been.

She walked over to the hearth and pulled a plate off of a shelf within. She set it down on her table and put a cup next to it. Then she turned to him.

“Come here and eat. It’s nothing but mashed potatoes and carrots. You have to tell me what you’ve been given to eat in that tower so I know what I can feed you. Afterwards you’re going to bathe because you reek and I’m going to change the bedding. Deal?” She asked.

He nodded, he glanced at the door she’d pointed too and wondered how she had acquired a bathroom. Perhaps she was very well renowned among these people. He mentally cringed at the thought of undressing, but she had made it very clear she would leave him alone. 

He carefully swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up slowly. He suddenly decided he would not mind spending most of his days in a chair by the fire. It would be warm and he could see the windows.

Thunder shook the building and they both snapped their heads towards the entrance. The old woman eased her way around him and hobbled to the window. 

  
“Skies seem normal. Wouldn’t that be a right pain, first storm of the season and it brings a cyclone!” 

He continued on his way to the table and went over that little tidbit of information. So it was either mid-spring or early summer. A good long while to get back into shape then. 

He sat down and took in the small portion. It smelled divine. He didn’t care that it was going to be very bland and smiled. It wasn’t uruk flesh or cold cheese and crackers. That was all he cared about.

_ There’s milk in that cup too! _

_ Pace yourself _ . The warning echoed through his head. This was a very small portion and yet it was the first good thing he was given in twelve-hundred years. He might very well end up with his head in a bucket. 

It was easy enough to eat slowly when it was scalding and the taste was familiar. He wanted to devour it as quickly as he could but then something else reared its ugly head. The six years of training he’d had to become master of Eregion. Manners, manners, manners. 

He sighed when he noticed the way he held the spoon and the way he would sip from the cup, his posture. In the tower he had been too focused on being anywhere else than eating. 

_ Twelve hundred years on your back and you still eat like a fine lady?  _

He wanted any emotional reaction from himself about the revelation that had made him pass out yesterday, but it didn’t bring any emotion with it. Only a hollowness in his chest. He just stared at the mush on the plate until a voice rattled him out of his thoughts.

“I know it isn’t much, but there is no reason to look so hopeless at it! This is a new beginning it is!” 

He thought about it. It was. It all started here if he chose. He wouldn’t forget about the tower, but he could move on, perhaps find a way to convince the human to do the same. He took the last mouthful and finished the milk. Well. He certainly felt a little more awake than he had the past few centuries. 

He stood and the old woman came over, thrusting a heap of clothing into his arms.

“Now, it could all fit you and that will be fine, gives you options. But if it doesn’t, just stick your head out the door and tell me. I won’t be offended if it doesn’t fit.” 

He nodded and turned towards the bathroom door.

“Oh and remember! I wanted a list of the things you’d been fed so I can judge whether or not you can handle a roast duck!”

Ugh, that sounded wonderful. Who cares if he’d hurl his guts up later? It would taste good. He carefully shut the bathroom door behind him and smiled when he saw the latch that would keep it closed. 

The bathroom had enough room for a fireplace and a decent sized tub. He could lay back if he wanted too. Far better than what he was used too. At least, before and after his brief time as a nobleman. He noticed a door off the back and he carefully opened it. A small yard was behind it where an outhouse was and clearly flooded grass. Then he noticed the pump. Good. 

The woman must have dumped boiling water in while he was eating, as it was still plenty warm when he placed his hand in it to gauge whether or not he needed to freshen it up. He started peeling off the leathers he’d been stuffed into and wanted to burn them. Badly. They reeked of the barracks in the tower. 

There was that fireplace...No. The fire might flare up and burn the house down. He didn’t want that. This was a nice place. With the exception of the boots, he flung the clothes as hard as he could against the wall. It made an odd slapping noise that made him freeze and there was hurried footsteps outside.

“Are you alright?”

Oh. He had to answer her. She wouldn’t see a nod through the door.

“Yes!” He answered as loudly as he could.

She walked away but he still heard “What a pretty voice” being casually said outside. He puffed up his chest a little as he got into the tub. Oh.  _ Oh.  _

Twelve-hundred years of stress and worry and horror relaxed a little. He was completely alone and only had to move when it got cold. Although the fireplace was doing a fine job of keeping the room stifling. 

He looked to see a bar of soap, a rather large bottle and a few washcloths, accompanied by several different combs and a brush on a little stool on the other side of him. A few towels were on the floor around it. He realized he’d probably have to change the water anyway for the layers of filth on him.

He submerged himself for as long as he could withstand and sat up, running his fingers through his hair. He could use the combs, but he wouldn’t. Not yet anyway. He could work out some of the tangles himself. 

And so, he began to cleanse himself of the filth of Barad-Dur.

___ 

_ The pair walked in one of the gardens and held hands. They never were truly that far apart, but when they were, it felt like the hours could not pass quickly enough. Although it was slowly beginning to frustrate a certain person that they could not show their affection in public.  _

_ “We should defy my father and court openly, Talion. I will not be married to some rich old man. I cannot.” Ioreth said into his shoulder when they stopped to sit down. _

_ “I can’t provide for you right now. I have to earn every scrap of food and I have nowhere near the amount it would cost for one of the houses at the lower end of the city. And if I could build you a house, I would.” Talion answered. _

_ “How much money do you have saved?” She asked. _

_ “Roughly two hundred gold. One of the lower houses are five hundred. And if I build you a proper house, it would be far away from here.” He replied. _

_ “Because of my father?” _

_ “Yes. I can’t stand the look in his eye, it's like he suspects you and I are still meeting.”  _

_ Ioreth sighed through her nose. “I will ask him again about when my suitor is coming to claim me. It won’t be much longer, Talion. Then if we want to be together, we must act.” _

_ “Of course.”  _

_ They sat in the shadow of a tree, there was no moon out and it made for a rather uncomfortable walk. But they had managed. Ioreth managing to trip on less bushes than Talion.  _

_ It did not seem very long before she pushed herself out of the crook of his arm and turned to face him. He expected her to say something, but she leaned in so quickly he barely had a chance to react and then she was kissing him. A longing and desire quietly rose to the surface and soon she had crawled on top of him, seeming to not care whatsoever where his hands were. _

_ She pulled away and he opened an eye. “What’s wrong?”  _

_ “Nothing.” She answered, her hands behind her back. _

_ The front of her dress slid off her shoulders and he couldn’t turn away. Silently praising the Valar for his good fortune this evening. But he still had enough of his senses to ask: “Are you sure?” _

_ She gave him a very wicked smile, keeping the front of the dress covering her breasts. “I am very sure. Besides, if I am to be married to some old pig, I shall have some fond memories to look upon.”  _

_ He grinned and sat up, removing his cloak and folding it very carefully, he pulled Ioreth beneath him and she allowed him to pull the front of her dress down so he could finally see. He seemed to have forgotten to breathe.  _

_ “You know this proves my father’s point about you having less than honorable intentions towards me.” She said as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “But he should have been questioning my less than honorable desires.” _

_ This woman. This beautiful fox of a woman. _

_ “My lady.” He nodded to her, tipping the end of an imaginary hat towards her. She laughed. _

_ He would probably pay for this generously. But he couldn’t see a downside to this. She leaned up and kissed him carefully before laying her head back down, eyes roaming.  _

_ “Would you be a gentleman and remove your tunic? I miss the pleasing view.”  _

_ Didn’t need to tell him twice. _

  
  
  


_ Talion stood over the limp body and just stared. His hands shook endlessly. His ears were ringing and he looked at the neck that was twisted the wrong way. Oh, what had he done? He hadn’t been able to see once he saw the nobleman’s hands on her. Or her face… _

_ He whirled and came over to her. Grabbing the top of her sleeves and yanking them back onto her shoulders. Her shaking hadn’t stopped and she was still crying. He quietly asked her to turn around as he laced up the rest of her dress, leaving it a little loose.  _

_ He shook his cloak free and wrapped it around her tightly. He made to pick her up and return her to her father when she gasped: “Talion--!”  _

_ The pain in his jaw splintered throughout his face and he yelped. Ow. Bastard, that hurt! He swung up to retaliate but he was only given a knee to the groin.  _

_ “Sumbitch!” He snarled, before he was slammed into the ground, he hadn’t been able to breathe when he’d been kicked below the belt, now he really couldn’t. And it hurt.  _

_ “Think I wouldn’t catch you in the act eventually, hmm?” Ioreth’s father’s voice hissed above him. _

_ “What did you do? Kill Baron Mercer before he had a chance to report your carnal activities?”  _

Yes, because your daughter isn’t shaking like a leaf and crying her eyes out.

_ “Father, no! The Baron had tried to rape me! Talion only did it in my defense!” Ioreth’s voice rang out. He glanced at her and she had stood, keeping his cloak wrapped around her.  _

_ “Your suitor would do nothing of the sort! This filth only killed him because he grew jealous! He will be hanged for this!”  _

_ Oh yay. Just the death he’d always wanted. It would even have a nice string attached.  _

_ “No! I will claim responsibility for the Baron’s death and report it was in self-defense. My heart will not die for your own hatred against him!”  _

_ Talion froze when he registered what she had called him. Never in front of her father. Never in front of anyone else. Just them. Always them.  _

_ “Your confession will fall on deaf ears! For what woman could kill a man?” Her father answered. _

_ “I bear his child, father!” The words were practically a screech.  _

_ Well, dig a grave for him. Her father would most assuredly kill him now. So that was the wonderful thing she had to tell him earlier. All of the sudden her urgency to sleep with him a few weeks ago made sense. ‘Fond memories’ she said. ‘To look back upon’ she said. It didn’t stop the proud smirk however. And her father sent another punch into his mouth. He deserved that. _

_ Talion still couldn’t stop smiling though, he looked him in the eye and said: “Oops. Guess I have to live to deal with my mistakes, eh?”  _

_ Her father stepped off of him and turned to Ioreth. Talion crawled out of punching distance before he stood up. His head was hurting horribly.  _

_ Her father let out a long sigh and rubbed at his temples. “If the _ boy _ is the baby’s father, it would be quite dishonorable to have you unwed. As far as anyone is concerned, you’ve been secretly married for two weeks, courtesy of that traveling judge.”  _

_ Ioreth looked at him and held up three fingers. Their true anniversary.  _

_ “And for Baron Mercer? He left in shame after realizing he wouldn’t be good enough for you. Of course, if anyone ever discovers the truth, Talion will be put to death.”  _

_ Well that would be inconvenient. Leave poor Ioreth all on her lonesome.  _

_ Ioreth opened her mouth to speak but her father held up a hand. “I have been offered a position commanding the rangers of the Black Gate. I was prepared to decline, but now we have a place for you to hide.”  _

_ Talion stood carefully and made his way to Ioreth. He was freezing and he knew it wasn’t because of the cool air. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kept a careful distance from her belly. Still reeling from that revelation too.  _

_ “Thank you, Hallas.” He said, hoping his voice sounded normal.  _

_ “I didn’t do it for you.”  _

  
  


Talion stared at the stones above him and thought back on it. He wondered if Hallas was still alive, he had left the Black Gate two months before the attack and had only been in the area the day of because he had wanted to ask about returning to Minas Tritih. He wondered if he’d been ambushed by the Black Hand or if he had been safely away. He should leave and tell him what had become of his daughter, perhaps he already knew. 

He had lost track of time and now it was storming. He hoped a cyclone would come. Not only were they impressive to see, it would be his ticket out. Maybe it would end Celebrimbor’s misery too.

He toyed with the idea that maybe he wanted to stay down here the rest of his life. He couldn’t hurt anyone, he didn’t need to think or do. He would just have to sit and stare at the floor above and have his thoughts as company. 

But he also began thinking of the child that should be in Rohan. His mother too. He had to get Benjamin and Winnifred out. Surely Sauron would send retribution for the loss of Celebrimbor. Perhaps he would send the Nazgul to take back their city. Honestly anyone that couldn’t fight should flee. The rest of them would die to defend the city. But the young and the old didn’t have too.

_ If you are so concerned about their wellbeing, why did you decide to throw yourself into the lava?  _

He had been wrestling with that thought for hours now. The memories had made him miss Ioreth even more, but now he was beginning to wonder what she would think if he just gave up. He’d survived worse and now there were two Elves in the city instead of one. He could learn so much in his short lifespan.

He sighed softly. He couldn’t deny he still wished he were dead, but now? Now he wouldn’t mind stomaching a few more years. Although it would prompt Eltariel to continue her useless pining after him. Unless she turned her affections to Celebrimbor. 

Celebrimbor. His thoughts kept turning to him. He would begin thinking about something else and soon it would be interrupted with: ‘I wonder what he thought of the commander throwing me down here’, ‘I wonder how he is doing’.

Suddenly he felt very guilty for leaving him on that bridge, after witnessing the weeks on the road. He had seen the fear in his eyes and the sorrow. He had deserved to get out of that tower and he had almost robbed him of his freedom. Like he’d robbed that man of his life. 

He sat up and pushed himself so his back rested against the wall. He would wait until they came to bring him his breakfast, the commander said a week. And so for the next six days he would spend all his time debating his two options: Stay here until you die or help Celebrimbor. Each meal they brought, he would decide which option he preferred and count it. If he counted ‘wanting to die’ more times, he would stay here and rot. If he counted ‘help Celebrimbor’ more times, he would try to put his mind at rest and abandon his plight for suicide. 

He carefully picked out twelve pieces of straw from ‘his bedding’ and placed them across the cell from it. He then took a piece of straw and tied it into a star for his latter option and a noose for his former option. 

He returned to his place on the floor and waited. He had a plan now. Best to stick to it as best he could. For their sake. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm dead serious. I only had about one thousand words of this chapter down two weeks ago and last week I decided I wanted to write again. Holy crap, I need a sixth chapter. Chapter five might end up being 48,000 words without it.   
I'm so happy this is like the whole length of the first three chapters, although a little concerned some of it might seem unnecessary. 
> 
> Also thank you all so much for the burst of reads and kudos as of late! It really is appreciated!


	5. Minas Morgul Continued

One week later Talion was certain he could leave the dungeon and keep from killing himself. Something longed to be out of the darkness and back into the open air. Something that hadn’t been there before. 

He leaned against the wall and was attempting to doze when he heard the door open at the end of the hallway. It wasn’t dinnertime. Unless Eltariel had come to berate him for trying to kill himself. He didn’t bother to open his eyes as footsteps got closer and there was a bang at the cell door.

He jumped and opened his eyes to see the commander leaning against the bars. 

“Hello, lover.” She wasn’t smiling. 

“Don’t you mean former lover?”

“Hmm, no one ever came to me with a rejection. And maybe I wanted to see you squirm, although  _ somebody _ didn’t react the way I wanted them too.” 

He stood and rolled his eyes. “I don’t like dabbling with voodoo like _ someone. _ ”

She feigned her innocence. “My ring is merely a trinket.” 

He smiled. “No it isn’t. That gave you the balls to assassinate your own husband.”

“Who was a traitor, we’d all be dead right now.”

Talion snorted and walked to the bars, reaching through and pulling her as close as he could manage without hurting her, it would have been an embrace if the door wasn’t there.

“It would be easy to kill you, the way you are hanging on those bars.” 

“How long do you think I’d stay dead?” 

“Long enough for an execution I hope.” 

“Last time I was down to six hours. You think Mantix is still that jealous?” 

“No. He seemed as surprised as I did you threw me down here. You seemed ready to just let me die, why keep me here?” 

“Maybe I’m not ready to let you go.”

“That isn’t true. What did you see?” 

She pulled back enough to look at him. “I didn’t see anything except that the Elf seemed rather fond of you.” 

Talion barked out a laugh. “Oh, _ really _ now?”

“You didn’t notice.” She was getting angry.

“All I noticed was the persistent feeling of getting away from that Elf on the bridge. I almost dragged us both off.” 

“What caused that?”

He was tired of discussing it and stayed silent. Her mood seemed to worsen.

“Do you know how easy you’re making this?” 

Her adorned hand lunged forward, it was almost to his face when she used the other arm to stop it. He noticed the flames had gone blue and he backed away.

“ _ Shit. _ ” He couldn’t stop the statement.

She flexed her hand and the flames disappeared, then she placed her hand against her chest, she was breathing hard and had turned slightly away from him.

“Do you know how easy it would be to make you a puppet with this wretched thing, Talion?” 

An old feeling of panic rose in his chest and he made sure to count between each breath.

“Unless you truly did have the resolve the Witch King feared...In one week I expect you to be ready to leave this cell. My decision to keep you here was hasty, I’ll admit it. I should have stayed true to my original intentions and had you help Eltariel. We both know my judgement is not always sound however.”

He nodded, curling his hands into fists to keep the tremors hidden. 

“I know what you fear, Talion. But you have not convinced me you haven’t given up entirely.”

“There is nothing left for me here, Elentia.”

“Why didn’t you follow Idril and Baranor into the East then? You always appeared to be truly happy when you returned from slaughtering Uruk with them.”

He forced a smile, while she was not wrong, he would not always have a war to fight. And someday the Nazgul would return for Minas Morgul, he had to defend it when that day came.

“I am afraid my relationship with sand is not a very pleasant one.” 

He was certain her eyes would never return from her skull when she rolled them. 

“I need to go.” She said quietly afterwards. “Eltariel may come down later.”

“Oh wonderful, are you sure you don’t want to be present for that shouting contest?”

“It is unsporting for Eltariel to kill you in a cell. Good day, Talion.”

She turned and left and he exhaled in relief. She’d calmed down quicker than he expected. He sat down and tried to make himself comfortable in his hay pile, trying to ignore that he was filthy and that she had sentenced him to another week here without even asking if he wanted out. 

He glanced at the little poll he had on the floor and wondered if she noticed it. 

Celebrimbor: Six. 

Death: None.

  
  
  


___ 

  
  


_ The sword was one of his finest and one of the few projects he’d managed since becoming Lord of Eregion. He was loathing the fact he couldn’t find much time to do this and while he could work during the night, that wouldn’t be very polite. _

_ He heard the scuff of a boot against the floor right before the assailant shouted: “HEY!”  _

_ He spun and automatically flipped the sword into a defensive position, only to see Rhysand. _

_ “Damn you! I could have ruined this blade skewering you!” He hollered.  _

_ Rhysand chuckled. “More concerned with that sword than my wellbeing? My feelings.” _

_ Celebrimbor smirked. “Aren’t you supposed to be willing to lay down your life at any time, lieutenant?” _

_ Rhysand straightened himself and saluted. “Yes, but not at your hands, my Lord.” _

_ Celebrimbor punched him in the ribs with his free hand, all the fancy armor he was wearing would soften that blow.  _

_ “Oh! How horribly undignified!”  _

_ Celebrimbor stuck his tongue out at him and set his latest creation down. _

_ “You do realize you aren’t very regal, right?” Rhys said. “You gotta get yourself a lady friend here soon, you know.” _

_ “That wholly depends on if I have a mate or not.” Celebrimbor answered. _

_ “But that could take centuries! ...Well. Technically you are allowed to have two spouses as long as they are equally cared for. And nobody ever said anything against harems--OW!” _

_ Celebrimbor glanced over his shoulder and saw his friend had managed to burn himself. _

_ “Poor clumsy ‘Sandie, I’d put you in that harem just so you wouldn’t hurt yourself. But I have no interest in one. What’s the point?”  _

_ “Endless sex?” _

_ “That was crass.”  _

_ “Sorry.”  _

_ He began putting his various tools away when Rhys spoke up again.  _

_ “But being in a harem would mean endless luxury right? I wouldn’t mind that.”  _

_ Celebrimbor sighed loudly. “Yes, but aren’t harems reserved for females? And for their protection?”  _

_ “Make one and find out!” _

_ “Do it yourself. You’re elite now, aren’t you?” _

_ Rhysand exclaimed. “But you can’t be in a harem! You’re our ruler!”  _

_ Celebrimbor walked up to him and put his dirty gloves on Rhys’ face. _

_ “Hey! I bathed.” _

_ “Should have come in here then.” He said, making the decision to smudge up Rhys’ surprisingly pristine skin.  _

_ Rhysand glowered at him but Celebrimbor only smiled when he was done. “Going to ambush me in here again?” _

_ “After this and this wretched heat? No.”  _

_ He let go of Rhys and pulled off his gloves. “Aren’t we supposed to have a visitor tomorrow?”  _

_ “That’s not my job to keep track of your business!”  _

_ “Glad to know I can’t rely on you to pay attention during those meetings. At least you didn’t fall asleep this time.” _

_ “You looked ready to. I wonder why Galadriel picked you? She had to have known you despise the outside world?”  _

_ Celebrimbor shot him a look and they both marched towards the door. _

_ “I do not despise the outside world. I’d just rather be working all day instead of sitting in meetings or actually going out and meeting  _ people _ …”  _

_ “Isn’t that the same thing?” _

_ “No. One is sitting in a council room for hours and hours, the other is walking through the streets and being bombarded by people.” _

_ “Oh, I see. One is being social for several hours and the other is being outside!” _

_ “Rhys?” _

_ “Yes?” _

_ “Shut up.”  _

_ Rhysand giggled the rest of the way back to Celebrimbor’s chambers.  _

  
  
  


Celebrimbor stared across the city and thought of Rhys. He wondered if he’d be his usual self now that he had returned or would war have taken that piece of him away? 

He shifted on the barrel he was sitting on and wondered where Eltariel was. She said they were going to go for a walk at dawn and dawn had nearly passed. He would have liked doing something for Genevive while she was still sleeping. She might have liked breakfast ready for her. He had enough strength to stand for that long.

He flinched at a noise and glanced to his right towards it. Eltariel.

“Morning!” She smiled.

He nodded, all he really felt like doing these days. 

“Do you think you can walk all the way to the spire?” She asked.

They were closer to the middle city gates, so he shrugged. If he had to stop, he had to stop. He motioned that they could begin, standing with more effort than he would have liked. He followed her silently, as was the usual. 

He looked at his hands, suddenly loathing of how thin they were. They were better than they had been a month ago, but it was awful. You shouldn’t be able to see the bones in your hands so clearly. He swallowed, Sauron said death was too good for him, he certainly had no qualms about keeping him at death’s doorstep. 

_ Don’t think about it. One. Two. Three. _

“Celebrimbor?” Eltariel’s voice cut into his thoughts.

He blinked and lifted his head to meet her gaze, when had he started staring at the ground? Why did she look so worried?

“We are nearing the stables, do you want to go inside?” She asked. 

He remembered Ratbag telling him about a mare Talion had. He nodded. It felt like a lifetime ago though. She walked towards a large building and he followed. He scanned for a pasture and saw none. They probably had to have the children lead them out to graze twice a day.

Eltariel finally ran ahead and opened the large door enough for them to enter. It took him a minute to catch up but when he did she let him go inside first.

The gloom made him anxious immediately, the scent of old hay was a slight relief. 

Only six stalls were on each side of the aisle, rather large ones too. This must have been where they kept pregnant mares. 

He noticed Talion’s mare a few moments after it nickered at Eltariel.

“Hello, Ro.” She answered, before adding. “Her full name is Rosalind, Talion hates it, but the little girls that lived here loved it, so he didn’t change it.” 

He nodded and made his way over to the stall door, the mare’s head over it. He reached over to her brow and stroked the white star on her forehead, the mare inspecting his clothes. 

_ Probably wonders where this random Elf came from. _

“Alright, Luka, you’re going to have company for a minute, no your breakfast is not for another hour or so. Unless I feel generous enough to feed you after Celebrimbor feels he’s done with you lot.” 

Eltariel had gone into the stall adjoining Ro’s and leapt over the side, she kept talking, so there wasn’t any possibility the mare would spook. She came up to Ro and gently pushed her aside. He grabbed the latch and undid it, the two female’s eyes never leaving him. 

As soon as he had returned the latch to its original place, the mare pushed past Eltariel and walked up to him, nudging his shoulder with her nose. He smiled and went to the side that wasn’t so close to the door’s short walls. 

Eltariel went back into the other stall and he stared at the mare a moment before stepping forward and carefully running a hand over her neck. Ro seemed to have more interest in Eltariel at the moment and he brushed both hands over her coat, dust and hay falling away.

“You must be rather lonely without your master.” He said softly. 

The only response was an ear rotating in his direction. He ran his left hand over her shoulder before leaning into it and began to cry. 

  
  


___ 

  
  


_ The roar of the crowd had been deafening for hours, or had it been only minutes and he hadn’t noticed at all?  _

_ There were uruk and olog bodies scattered everywhere and he looked at Elentia, she was covered in gore and so was he. They’d made it. After the uruks had demanded him as tribute and then she’d been thrown in by Castamir. No one--except him--had noticed that. And no one had noticed when she’d put a spectral arrow through his head. For all they knew, Castamir had been sniped in the confusion. _

_ Elentia smiled wickedly as she gazed across the arena, a swagger flowing into her movements. She said nothing but arrogance was written all over her face. He supposed she had every right to be, since she had done such a spectacular job hiding the fact she wore a ring of power. He couldn’t even resist a smirk at the satisfaction of having so many uruk bodies around him. He’d already cleared four waves of them before Elentia had been betrayed.  _

_ She strutted over to him and flicked her braid over her shoulder. She was grinning like a fiend and the crowd roared louder. _

_ “Is this all Sauron has to offer?” She shouted. “Is this what we will face as we defend my city?”  _

_ Talion was scanning for snipers but glanced at her.  _ Be careful, Elentia. 

_ “Your spy is dead! You no longer possess the means to control us! And you won’t get the chance again!”  _

_ She held up the hand that she wore the ring on and a blue bolt of magic flew out of it, creating a star over the arena. The effect was stunning and it sent the uruks running out of the arena and out of the upper city. Talion whirled on her. _

_ “What have you done?!” _

_ She said nothing as she walked up to him and kissed him. He ignored the guilt and repulsion in his chest as he pulled away from her. _

_ “I have saved Minas Ithil and shown whoever may attempt to seize command from me it will be quite the challenge.”  _

_ By painting him as her lover. Despite how much he loathed what he’d done that night when he’d learned she was Castamir’s wife. Or widow now. _

_ She looked as if she were going to speak again so he turned and walked away. He didn’t want to hear it. Quite frankly, if she never spoke to him again, he wouldn’t care. _

_ _

Everything was quiet as he thought about that day. He’d rejected her and the Nazgul had come, they’d barely driven them away. They lost over half of their people in that battle and he wondered if they were preparing another strike.

It’d been too quiet. No one had pursued them when he’d stolen Celebrimbor from the tower and Sauron’s forces had been almost nonexistent in this area. A stray uruk here and there, nothing more. 

His hand twitched when his mind rotated back to thinking about the day they’d resisted the Nazgul. The mind tricks the Witch King used on him. He had always been considering suicide after he’d lost his family, but he had always seen the misery of others who counted on him and he’d refused to even act on it. He’d always found something to occupy his mind. Even if he did accept missions much too dangerous in hopes he wouldn’t return. But after that final attack, things had gotten worse. It was almost a second voice in his head, one that countered every argument against staying alive with a horrible lie. 

He had been laying down and sat up when he heard footsteps rushing down the hallway. He stood when he heard keys rattling in someone’s hand and soon saw Mantix frantically trying to open the lock.

“Elentia is missing.” He said. “I hope you have enough strength to help me find her.” 

  
“Missing? When?” Talion asked. Panic threatening to rear its ugly head.

“An hour ago. I don’t know. I just went to tell her about a patrol of uruks we encountered and killed and she was gone.”

“Is she at the grave?” 

“I don’t know. If she isn’t, I wanted you there with me in case we had to fight...I’m going to trust you with my dagger. Please don’t shank me with it.” 

“Now  _ why _ would I do that?”

Mantix got the door open finally and swung it outward for him.

“That’s really not funny.” 

He passed Talion his dagger and they sprinted out of the dungeons. It was a bit much after a month or longer of not much physical activity, but he would be fine. He was more worried about her.

_ Maybe some part of you still loves her… _

He shook the thought from his head. He’d ended it for a reason. 

They made it to the mass grave in a few moments and there she was. Talion was startled when he saw she was wearing a dress instead of her armor. He hadn’t seen her out of it  _ ever _ . Was she dying? 

“Elentia?” Mantix called, he was out of breath as well.

She motioned for them to come forward and they did. Slowly.

“You have to tell us if you come here. It’s open and unprotected and you--” Mantix began.

“I do not have to ask you for permission, Mantix. And I knew you’d find me. And that you’d bring Talion. I wanted to consult both of you alone away from prying ears.”

“Why?” Talion muttered. 

“They’re coming.” 

Mantix crumpled to his knees and Talion bit the inside of his lip to stay grounded. She needed him sound of mind right now. 

“How long do we have?” Talion asked.

“A fortnight.” 

Mantinx made a strangled noise and Talion remained silent, his mind darting to Eltariel and Celebrimbor. Eltariel may not be ready to face her demons and Celebrimbor certainly wasn’t, he couldn’t even defend himself.

“So I wanted to ask, do we abandon the city and just let them have it? Or do we take a stand and pray it is enough?”

She wanted to give up? He’d noticed she’d been a lot more distant and reclusive as of late. What had happened?

“No one is going to leave the city. But we are too old to fight.” Mantix said softly.

“How many of the Nine are coming?” Talion asked.

“Two. The Witch King and the Sadistic.”

Talion almost choked on nothing. One for him and one for Celebrimbor. 

“We have Eltariel, certainly they fear her?” Mantix asked.

“She has let them run rampant for years and you think they fear her? They think she is dead, most likely.” 

“So we’ll have the element of surprise.” 

“She won’t be able to do it.” Talion cut in.

They both turned to him. “She refuses to even look at her blades. She forgets she has armor most days and Eru knows where she hid the light. She’s still unhinged and I don’t think having Celebrimbor here helps.” 

Elentia cursed softly and Mantix was beginning to look like he was going to have a mental breakdown. They truly did have to abandon the city. 

“So you both agree? We flee?” 

Talion nodded. “Aye.”

“Agreed.” Mantix echoed. 

Elentia sighed and stood. “Prepare the people. Anyone who can still fight will be our guard. We’re burning what’s left of the city to the ground. We leave in four days.” 

___

A day after Elentia announced their retreat to Rohan, the city had been thrown into turmoil. Celebrimbor couldn’t do much to help them. He wished he could, but his energy was still severely low and had no time to forge repairs for their armor or make new weapons. Instead he helped Genevive prepare herbs and pack things for people. They also made crackers and gathered whatever they could from the surrounding forest, accompanied by Eltariel. 

Something had changed in her. She had been a little distant before but now she’d completely stonewalled them. She never spoke, she never looked in their direction too long and she did things her own way. She did not interfere much with what they did, but it was driving them both mad. Genevive making her opinion clear while he did not add anything to it. He knew why she was doing this. She’d either walk out of Minas Morgul as an assassin or a madwoman. 

He was packing up a pack for someone to carry when a cry came from outside. Genevive hobbled over to the door as a great shadow blotted out the sun. Every thought was knocked out of his head as he realized what that was. 

He must have made a noise because Genevive came to him as quickly as she could.

“Go. Otherwise there won’t be anyone to protect the survivors.” 

_ Survivors? There will only be one… _

Him. The Nazgul had come for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is so short compared to the last chapter and the long wait. My interests are being stolen away by Marvel and the intended sequel for this may be severely delayed or cancelled. 
> 
> Hopefully the finale will be worthwhile and not be a several month wait.


	6. The Fall

It was too early. How could they have known they were preparing to escape? To scatter to the winds like the ashes of the city? The palantir...Sauron must have intentionally deceived her. Or he realized what she was going to do and sent them early. They could fly, it would be a short journey. If he had enough power to give orders to the Nazgul and grant them physical forms...

Talion was piecing together his armor as quickly as he could. Grateful of his expedition to Barad-Dur had been so recent. Although everything was still muscle memory and he could do this without looking he thought. He glanced through one of the windows and saw the Nazgul had not yet begun attacking. They were looking for Celebrimbor and him. Well, they’d get the Gravewalker. Whether or not they got the Ringmaker was another thing.

_ Gravewalker _ . He wondered how the name he acquired for himself faithfully burying every dead human body he found had become the name of a legend. Why they called him that as a warrior he did not know the true origin. He assumed it was because he’d killed the Black Hand on top of the graves he’d dug for his family and brothers in arms. Perhaps that truly was why. 

He buckled his baldric together and quickly assembled some first aid supplies and a few other things and placed them in the pouch on his hip. Just in case he managed to escape. Just in case he couldn’t return to gather his things.

He ran outside and hurried to Eltariel’s lodging. Ducking inbetween alleyways and inside ruined houses to prevent himself from being spotted. He entered without knocking and when he checked to ensure he’d not been seen he heard the soft whine of a sword being unsheathed. 

He turned his head towards Eltariel who recognized him as soon as he looked at her. He was surprised to see her in her armor wholly. Shortsword shining in the pale shafts of sunlight that managed to get through the coverings on her windows.

“I’m sorry.” She muttered. “Reflexes.” 

Talion nodded. “Been there, done that. Don’t worry about it.”

She returned her sword to its home and patted the other one’s hilt to ensure it was there.

“Do you know why I am here?” Talion asked.

“Besides to warn me of the imminent threat on our lives?” She answered dryly.

“Now isn’t the time. It’s your job to protect Celebrimbor now. I’m going to do my best to give you a good head start towards wherever you deem safest for the two of you. But you cannot abandon him, do you understand?” 

Eltariel’s thoughts were in turmoil it seemed, as her eyes were flicking between this and that on the floor.

“Eltariel. Look at me.”

She didn’t.

“ _ Now _ .” He didn’t like the authority in his voice. 

She slowly shifted her eyes in his direction. “You and him are going to be the only things left, knowing the Nazgul and Sauron’s weaknesses moving forward. You will have a great tactical advantage in any upcoming war against them. You  _ must _ save Middle-Earth. Promise me you will protect him.”

“I will not be an oathbreaker like you. I cannot promise.”

Guilt flooded his chest but he didn’t react much physically. “Then do better than I, elf. If I survive this and flee into the wilds. One day I will come for you. Both of you. Just wait.”

She blinked and then lunged forward to hug him. “I cannot lose you as well.”

“Don’t worry about it. It...It’ll be better for me this way.” 

She tightened her hug before letting go, that was when he noticed the light sitting in her palm. The crystal lifeless and cold. For now. 

Something shook the city and he spun towards the door. He could hear the hissing voices of the Nazgul over screams. 

_ “Celebrimbor...Celebrimbor…”  _

He heard Eltariel suck in a breath behind him and he reached for the door. “Don’t let them have their prize.”

And then he ran out into the sunlight.

___

He didn’t know how long Genevive had hidden him in the cellar for, but the sounds in the city were terrible. He could hear the Nazgul calling for him. He couldn’t help but glance at the door above each time he heard his name. They weren’t close. They were up by the spire. Taunting Elentia no-doubt. If she had a ring of power, she could probably hold out against them the longest.

He slid his hand over the leather sheath that held a hunting knife. In his condition, he didn’t stand much chance against the Nazgul. He was wondering if he was desperate enough to slit his own throat.  _ What if the humans won and found you dead? _ He couldn’t do that to Talion. 

Talion. Why was Talion so important? They had begun to interact a little more by the time they’d returned and but then he’d been put into solitary. He shouldn’t mean enough to him to care that much. Worry began to gnaw at him. Talion had helped him escape though. He did grant him his freedom, even if it appeared as if it would be extremely temporary. 

A coldness entered his chest and he wondered why. It felt like Sauron’s cruel essence. Except filled with utter horror and defeat and guilt. An endless void of nothing felt like it was going to swallow him whole. His breathing stopped as he realized why. There was no way…

He shot to his feet and looked towards the cellar door. For the first time in centuries, he felt confident in what he had to do. If only he hadn’t wasted his chance to ruin Sauron’s day. 

____

It hadn’t taken him long to attract the Witch King’s attention. Although Elentia challenging them had made it a little easier. The two fell riders circled over the spire’s courtyard chanting something in their foul language. Talion suddenly realized they were merely riding drakes instead of their usual beasts. Did they not warrant their full might? He was almost disappointed. Elentia stood solid by his side. The magic in her ring soothing against the ill magic of the Nazgul.

“Till death, captain?” Elentia asked.

“Till death, lady.” Talion answered.

Her evil smile would have made Sauron run for cover for the hell they were about to unleash. The Witch King dove and that earned him a damaged drake, Talion slashed it through the wing and it screamed. The Witch King’s own angry howl echoing throughout the courtyard.

The Sadistic lunged for Elentia but she leaped into the air and placed her adorned hand against the beasts’ forehead, the smell of burnt flesh in the air. Talion could not help but laugh as the drake bucked against its rider. Attempting to throw him off any way it could. And when the Sadistic reached to regain control of his beast, Elentia twisted her hand and the drake screeched as it burst into flame and fell to the ground in the same instant. Its rider crashed into one of the railings and completely destroyed it. The Sadistic did not move. But his physical form did not disappear, so he was very much still alive. It was only a matter of time before he regained consciousness 

“Did you miss that? Oh, I had hoped you would know how to defend against it by now.” Elentia purred at the Witch King.

The Witch King did not respond. He only attacked Talion so quickly he could not defend against it, the Witch King’s hand around his throat as the corruption began to spread. He tried to claw his way out of his grasp but he couldn’t control what he was doing anymore. He could only watch through a veil of crushing emotions. 

“I had hoped you would have learned to defend him by now.” The Witch King hissed at Elentia.

____

Celebrimbor could see the beasts circling in the distance and braided his hair back as he ran. A feat that surprisingly, he could still do. He took a sword from one of the bodies he found...Dear Eru, it was Mantix. Horror making his hands shake. He could do this. He could. 

“Celebrimbor? Celebrimbor!” He heard Eltariel call him.

_ This could be a trick…  _

He looked at her. Hand within casual reach of that knife.

“What are you doing? You’re supposed to be hiding! Waiting for me.” She hissed.

“I can’t just sit here and do nothing. I cannot and I will not.” The firmness of his voice surprised him.

Her face was a mix of things. “Talion ordered me to take you and run.”

“And I’m telling you I won’t. We’re wasting time.” 

He began towards the spire and he heard her fall into step beside him. 

“Well now I can’t just leave.” She said when he cast a glance in her direction.

He didn’t answer. 

It didn’t take them long to reach the courtyard and what he saw made him sick. The Witch King had controlled his mind. Talion’s mind was Sauron’s. So that was what he felt. Elentia had several injuries, some looked severe. She had been fighting both of them? He grit his teeth and anger began to resurface for the first time in a long time.

“ _ Get out of my mate’s head. _ ” 

___

The light was poison. But those words kept echoing through his head. 

_ Get out of my mate’s head. Get out of my mate’s head. _

Celebrimbor knew. It had taken him over a month. But he knew. The corruption could not infiltrate the bond. He could think clearly again, although his body was still not his own. But he could think. The last time the Witch King had tried to seduce him, Eltariel had saved him. Would it be enough this second time? It was a stronger spell.

He heard a shriek and looked towards the Witch King. Eltariel had created a shield between the Nazgul and them. And Celebrimbor was approaching him, a familiar sword in his hand. Elentia standing closeby, sealing some of the wounds he’d caused with magic.

“Talion. Can you hear me? Talk to me, like you did on the way here for me.” Celebrimbor said, his voice steady.

There was no way he wasn’t terrified right now, being so close to the Witch King. He would have smiled if he could. 

“Talion,  _ speak. _ ” Celebrimbor said, it sounded like an order. He kept approaching, his gaze darting between his eyes and his sword. Awaiting the strike that might come.

The voice of an ancient Elven lord, he realized. That was what he’d just heard. He wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all. He was supposed to be the mate of an Elf who’d lived for over a thousand years? He soon heard fervent Elvish and he dropped his sword. He felt the corruption slipping away.

“Celebrimbor?” He managed. His voice seemed ruined, although he had not been screaming. 

Celebrimbor was smirking slightly. Proud of himself, was he? It was probably a relief, but still.

“Talion, I’m going to touch you.”

And he wouldn’t have wanted to do anything about it if he could. Celebrimbor’s hands were cold against the sides of his face and he felt the spell break. He gasped and fell into Celebrimbor, before he knocked them over he righted themselves. Noticing Celebrimbor jerked out of his grasp. 

“I thought I told you to get out of here?” Talion said to Eltariel.

“You’re mates.” She said accusingly. She was probably angry he hadn’t told her.

He noticed she wasn’t going to take her eyes off the Witch King. And that the Sadistic had risen. Damn it. 

“I didn’t want to tell you if Celebrimbor hadn’t realized it. I didn’t want it to come up.” Talion said, retrieving his sword.

“Well I won’t have to blast you with the light again.” She replied.

He didn’t answer that and looked at Celebrimbor, he had Mantix’s sword. 

“Mantix is dead?” He asked.

Celebrimbor nodded.

“Then let’s make these sons of a bitch pay.” 

He heard Celebrimbor mutter under his breath. “Accurate description of Sauron.” 

Talion smirked.

“You think you’re able to fight?” He asked Elentia.

“Aye.” She answered, she looked distracted, probably didn’t understand what she was seeing.

“Eltariel. Drop the shield.” 

____ 

Celebrimbor couldn’t believe he’d managed to break the Witch King’s hold on him. Perhaps it was because of his exposure to Sauron’s corruption? Had it made him immune in some aspects? Were mating bonds really that powerful? 

“Eltariel, drop the shield.”

He didn’t have time to worry about it. 

The Witch King came at them with such fury he was certain he had lost all restraint and was going to kill them anyway, consequences be damned. He hated that he was slow, so very slow. He couldn’t help that he was out of shape, he hadn’t had time to do anything about it. Or the right motivation really. 

He was surprised at the fluidity at which Eltariel and Talion fought beside the other, switching between shielding him and landing a blow. Elentia switched between basic melee attacks and magical ones, real daggers and spectral ones flying so quickly he couldn’t keep up. 

After a moment he stood aside and let them deal with the Witch King when he started to become dizzy and kept a careful eye on the Sadistic. He had not stirred but wasn’t dead. Had his physical form lost so much potency that a fall had disabled him? It occurred to him that he had not learned much of what the Nazgul could do while he was in the Tower. 

One of Elentia’s spectral daggers fell at his feet and he scooped it up and quietly muttered an old Elvish incantation. The dagger became frigidly cold in his hands and he wondered how long it would remain solid in his hands. The spectral dagger would fade soon, wouldn’t it? 

He saw his opportunity to throw it and lobbed it at the Witch King’s head. The wraith screeched in agony and turned his attention to him. The Witch King lunged towards him but Talion was already there. He hissed something to the Witch King and it angered the demon. He whirled out of the grapple and was bringing a dagger down. Elentia shouted something and a bright light blinded the two warriors in a bubble. The Witch King howled in anger and Talion came running out of this new shield and stopped in front of him.

___

He was in awe of the fact that Celebrimbor had stood his ground for as long as he had. Even if they’d done their best to protect him, although he was dangerously slow, he was precise when he had needed to be. He ran to his mate after breaking out of Eltariel’s latest shield and stopped in front of him.

“The rest will be here in two hours. You need to be that far away from here.” He stated.

  
Celebrimbor blinked and looked towards Mordor. “Can she dissipate his physical form?”

Talion inwardly groaned, he didn’t have time for questions. “Yes. But she’s going to escort you to Rivendell.” 

Celebrimbor rolled his eyes and met his gaze again. “You’re coming with us. Or I stay.” 

He felt Celebrimbor’s determination in his heart. He wouldn’t leave him now. Not that he knew. He heard a shriek and looked over his shoulder to see Eltariel had crippled the Witch King. Elentia was watching the Sadistic and was standing nearby him. Eltariel made quick work of him and they stood in silence, the horrible, horrible silence.

“We’re abandoning these people?” Eltariel asked.

“Anyone who had any wits would have left already.” Elentia said quietly. “Anyone else is dead.”

Talion bit his tongue to keep himself focused. He could mourn them later. He turned to Elentia and noticed her wounds from earlier had been split open and the ring was nowhere to be seen.

“Where is it?!” He snapped. 

He heard Celebrimbor suck in a breath and Eltariel cursed. Elentia only smiled at him. She clutched the lower portion of her stomach and dropped to her knees.

“Do you think you were the only one that wanted to die? Luckily for me, I had enough time to ward the courtyard before any of you showed up.”

She gestured towards a series of runes painted in blood here and there. He did not recognize the language it was written in. He glanced at the two elves and they looked as confused as he did.

“One day you’ll figure out what they say. I shouldn’t have used them. But you would have gotten apprehended.” 

Talion walked over to her and knelt beside her. “What was all the worry about keeping me alive if you were only going to do this?” 

“Unfortunately for you, Talion. You are a part of his fate.” She nodded towards Celebrimbor and Eltariel. “If you were to die, in his state, so would Celebrimbor. And while nothing would happen to Eltariel if you died, she certainly would be lonely.” 

Talion glanced behind him and Celebrimbor nodded shallowly. They could have died today if he had made an error. That small nagging part of him still wondered if the world would even care if the Ringmaker was dead. His gaze snapped back to her when she coughed up blood.

He carefully wiped it off her face and she smiled faintly. “You’d better run. They are still coming to reclaim their city. They know the wards are there, they will wait until the storm arrives and washes them away.”

“I’m not going to just leave your body here.” Talion protested.

“I will be with my brothers and sisters in arms like this. Besides, I’ve always loved this courtyard...Go. I’m tired of talking.” 

___ 

Either it was his lack of social exposure the last thousand years or he’d lost his sense of empathy, Celebrimbor could not feel the sorrow the other two felt as they trudged along a path hours later. He’d only known her for a short time, perhaps that had something to do with it.

Talion had found the ring in the pouch on his hip when he’d gone to stitch up a wound Eltariel had received. Although Eltariel had argued strongly against it, Talion had given the ring to him saying it would probably reduce his fatigue and allow him to walk the long distance to the nearest village. 

It was helping. While he was exhausted to his very bones, he did not ache enough to hinder their journey. And he’d be damned if they stopped early because of him. It would not be a problem in an hour though. The sun would set.

He looked at Eltariel who appeared to be far more alert than he was. She looked drained. Her eyes and hair were dull. Her face looked grey. She spoke a moment later.

“Talion, we need to stop. I can’t go any further.” 

Celebrimbor turned his attention towards Talion who scanned the horizon behind them a moment. “Alright. Nothing seems to be following us. I can see that storm Elentia mentioned. The Nazgul must have reached Minas Morgul by now.” 

His voice was oddly even. Celebrimbor carefully tested the strength of their bond and could feel his sorrow underneath a quiet determination. He jumped when he felt it grow stronger and realized Talion had responded to his probing. 

“I didn’t overstep, did I?” Celebrimbor asked. 

Talion smiled. “No. It’s just strange. That’s all.” 

Celebrimbor looked at Eltariel who looked ready to cry.

“Are you going to be alright, Eltariel? I know it’s been a rough day for you.” Talion said.

“I will be. I’m just enjoying watching you two trying to figure out what the bond means. Even if it’s reminding me of a certain someone.” She answered.

He shouldn’t pry, but he was going to anyway. “Who was your mate?” 

Her eyes slowly drifted towards him. “A very rambunctious elf.” A smile threatened to form. “His name was Rhysand, he hunted the Nazgul with me.”

He actually smiled broadly. “Sounds like my lieutenant.” 

She sucked in a breath and leaned to get a better look at him, then she looked very angry for a brief moment. “Do you know what he told me the first time we kissed?” 

“Something about his friend who he had practice kissing on?”

“ _ YES! _ I never kissed him again after that.” 

Talion chuckled behind him. “That’s horrible.” 

“You want to know my side of it?” Celebrimbor asked.

“Of course I do.” She replied.

“He told me he saw his mate in a dream. After he decided he was going to use me for a kissing experiment.” 

Eltariel rolled her eyes. “Sounds like Rhys. I know now why he always hunted them like he had it out for them. He always said he just got passionate about the hunt.” 

_ Or he didn’t mention me because he was ashamed I made the rings...That’s  _ not  _ true. It can’t be. _

Celebrimbor sighed and couldn’t shake his smile. Not that he wanted to, he felt comfortable with these two. Which was a feeling he hadn’t had in a long time. 

Talion had been fixing together a shelter of sorts. Some of the brush scattered here and there was clumped around a rock face and he’d managed to reroute it so it covered some of the rock and kept one out of the wind.

“I’ll take the first watch. I’ll wake you up in six hours, Eltariel.” He announced, looking over the horizon as thunder rumbled in the distance.

“No you aren’t. You’re both exhausted.” She snapped. “You’re human, he’s been doing remarkable considering he couldn’t walk to the stables a week ago, part of that could be the ring, but regardless. I also kind of need this. So shut up and go rest.” 

Celebrimbor was surprised by her reaction and Talion rolled his eyes and waved his hand in her direction. “As you wish.” 

Talion gestured to Celebrimbor that he could go in the covering he’d made and his breath caught in his chest as a horrible panic threatened to consume him. He didn’t want to lay down anywhere near Talion.  _ It didn’t matter if he were his mate-- _

“Go ahead and sleep. She said ‘rest’ not ‘sleep’. She can’t be too angry with me if I sit in that entrance and watch her back.” Talion stated, cutting into his thoughts.

He kept forgetting Talion could probably sense his shifting moods. He nodded and entered and heard a “Hey!” from Eltariel who was glaring in Talion’s direction. He gave her a sweet smile and sat down, effectively blocking any draft that would come in. Celebrimbor let out a shaky breath as he laid down and hated his hands were trembling. He’d been relaxed for once in a long time and the stupid implications had ruined it for him. He closed his eyes and hoped he was too tired to dream.

_ He would never get used to these wretched council meetings. Twice a week was ridiculous and now they were suggesting they wanted to add a third day. No. That was a horrible idea. Perhaps he should acquire about only meeting once per week, he’d have to suffer through a whole day of this. But it would be much more preferable than two days of four hour sessions. Although if they split it into three days it would only be two hours… _

_ He milled around the room and knew it was irritating some of the older Elves. What exactly was he supposed to do? They wanted him to look at their map of his territory and he did. Nothing had implied any impending attacks and there would be no reason to assemble their army. If worse came to worst every Elf here would be rallied within a heartbeat.  _

_ His mind kept drifting to the mysterious guest they were supposed to be entertaining today. He’d finally paused for more than a few seconds when the doors opened at the other end of the room. Was it that time already? He sent a glance at the window, he couldn’t tell what angle the sun was at from here. Well that was a lot of help. _

_ His gaze returned to the doors and he was taken aback by the beauty that stood there. Proudly clutching a narrow box of short length. His white hair was down and a few inches past his shoulders, parted by an Elven ear. His eyes were rather particular, they appeared to be the color of light maple syrup. His shaken thoughts still agreed he was beautiful however. _

_ He wore a plain white robe with a grey belt around his waist and a matching coat over it, only it had scrawling details over the arms and by the bottom hem. _

_ It hit him like an arrow who was standing before him. Annatar, the Lord of Gifts. And unless he was being selfish, whatever was in that box was for him. Their gazes met across the room and he felt as if his breath had been stolen away.  _

_ _

_ The angel crossed the room and knelt before him, opening that box, a Mithril hammer within. He’d put his previous works to shame… _

_ “It is so fine a gift.”  _

_ _ He sat up and was shaking. Why was it so cold? Why were they outside again? Had Minas Morgul been a dream? Eltariel turned her head to him and he noticed Talion was asleep, leaning on her shoulder. 

‘Are you okay’? She mouthed. 

He shrugged. He would be. Eventually. 

She pointed at Talion and rolled her eyes and Celebrimbor smiled. He laid back down and tried to go back to sleep. Tomorrow was officially the beginning of a fresh start...

_ Four Months Later  _

It had taken them two months to get into Rivendell. Their pace had been swift and relentless. And their two months of respite had been welcome. He’d been relieved instantly when he’d seen Elrond again for the first time in millenia. He wondered what had become of Celebrian and hated the answer he’d received. Waylaid by uruks and tortured. He’d automatically assumed the worst--although he did not voice these thoughts to Elrond--and was grateful she’d escaped into the west, even if it had broken Elrond’s heart to lose his mate.

Now he sat alone in one of the open rooms meditating. The smell of the flowers around him was distracting. In a good way though, he had not beheld any of the beauty of the land in a long time and was still getting used to it.

Elrond had spent many hours with him, telling stories of the things he’d missed and doing his best to help him through his eternal mental conflict. Spending time with him had comforted his thoughts enough he was beginning to sleep well again. And this had enabled him to begin joining Talion and Eltariel’s sparring sessions. 

He didn’t like it. Their plans to return to Mordor in the near future. He would prefer they stayed here, safe. He knew Eltariel and Talion were going to leave soon. He could tell from the way they talked or didn’t when he was around. The way they trained, how aggressively they went at the other, the various skills they practiced. Dagger throwing, archy, throwing spears, using glaives. They weren’t subtle. 

Although he hated to admit it, he was still troubled about suddenly having a mate. Wondering why the bond had taken so long to appear when Talion had been alive several years. Or had he truly been so lost in the darkness he’d felt it and ignored it? Or had he been utterly unable to allow his soul that comfort? That it would never be the Dark Lord? 

He thought of their time on the road where Talion had given him a nickname on accident and had apologized profusely for it. He liked it very much, since the sound of his name had been making him sick to his stomach for years. Then they’d begun talking. About them being mates. 

Talion never mentioned it unless he brought it up first. Sometimes they could feel the other’s hurt or thoughts, feel the other’s presence. Sometimes it was like it never existed. Like they weren’t mates and it had only been his own panic forcing his brain to imagine it. 

The last time they’d spoken about it, Talion had told him not to worry about where they stood at the time. He said to worry about himself first and foremost and while that was ironic coming from him, he’d also said he’d be there if he needed him. He’d seen him at his lowest after he’d attempted to jump off that bridge. If he needed to talk, he would be there. If that was their only standing at mates, confidants, then so be it.

Celebrimbor let out his breath and stretched. Grateful he couldn’t count the bones in his hands and that the simple movement wouldn’t send agony seering down his arms. He was stronger now and he’d given Talion the ring as soon as they had entered Rivendell, Elrond didn’t protest. Saying if it brought danger to their terrority, they’d do something about it. Until then, Talion could keep it. And he didn’t actually know where Talion had hidden it. Only saying it was there for when the time was right. 

He stood and walked over to the balcony and gazed out over the waterfalls. The view was beautiful. A moment later closing his eyes to return to his thoughts. He would face the new challenges as they came. And if those challenges meant he’d have to stay back and pray word wouldn’t come that Eltariel and Talion were dead, so be it. 

_ Although you don’t have to stay behind and pray. _

He let out a shaky sigh. He could go back. Relearn his skills and go back and remind Sauron what he’d been before. As damning as that idea was. He’d never be rid of the fear and the anxiety. But he was still a soldier. Quicker and smarter than any uruk-hai. Stealthy as a cat and deadly as a drake.

He opened his eyes and stared in the direction of Barad-Dur. Elrond had told him of a poison they’d found, one that could kill you within moments of ingestion. Eltariel and Talion had both agreed to carry little jewels that had been made in a hidden pouch within reach of their mouths should it be made clear they would be taken to Barad-Dur. He could do the same. He wouldn’t be naive this time and believe Sauron would be angry enough to murder all of them. 

This time, he was going to make the Dark Lord regret everything he’d inflicted upon him. This time Sauron was going to wish him dead. And so be it. They had the means to delay a war that would be inevitable, even if it were a fruitless task to die for. It would open the eyes of the free peoples and perhaps they would rally behind it and align themselves once more.

He tilted his head towards the sky and mouthed _ ‘please’ _ .

___ 

Talion and Eltariel had been walking for most of the day. Going over their plan, rehashing the same things and getting generally nowhere. They were going to leave in the spring. Let Sauron believe they had well and truly fled. He had warned Eltariel he wasn’t going to take the ring with him when they returned to Mordor and she was livid.

“You are fifty-four years old and you desire to travel to Mordor without defense?” She snarled.

“You will be my defense and we aren’t looking to conquer Mordor. Just cause enough trouble to make the armies exhaust themselves. What better trouble than to use the regions around Mordor as distractions? We don’t need to set foot in Gorgoroth. We don’t even need to stay within a hundred miles of Gorgoroth for more than a day if we need to.” He reasoned. 

She crossed her arms and huffed. Staring at the ground and kicking a rock that’d looked at her funny. “It is a poor excuse. I have half a mind to drug you and leave you for Celebrimbor to deal with until I’m long gone. Between Celebrimbor and master Elrond they won’t let you leave without it. Possibly even me if I get lucky.” 

“We’ll have the poison. We shouldn’t have to worry about getting captured. But we must make ourselves believe it is not an option at all and both are out of the question.” He said.

Eltariel’s smirk was wicked. “I wasn’t hearing this five months ago. You didn’t seem to care if you came back or not.”

Talion rolled his eyes. “That was five months ago, sunshine. We didn’t have a good reason to raise hell about it then. We should have been more focused on evacuating Minas Ithil.” 

She snarled at that nickname and he smiled. They glared at the other for two whole minutes before Eltariel looked away. 

“Yeah, I know I won’t be able to convince you not to do it. But are you certain you want to leave your mate alone for that long?” 

Sometimes he hated that phrase. She’d always been using it in arguments lately. ‘Think of Celebrimbor’, ‘how is this going to affect both of you?’, ‘stop taking so many risks Talion, it’s just a hunt, your mate would be heartbroken if you hurt yourself’.

“Sapphire will be fine without me.” He snapped.

He cringed as he realized the nickname he’d given Celebrimbor had slipped. Eltariel caught it immediately. 

“‘Sapphire’ will be fine without you, hmm? Since when has Celebrimbor been ‘Sapphire’?” She inquired, looking smug. 

“Since it seemed like that name was another one of his infinite triggers. And it matched the color of his eyes... _ Damn you. _ ” Talion growled. 

She was laughing to herself now. 

“I’m glad you find this so amusing, Eltariel. It won’t be so amusing when you get stuck in the middle again.” 

He thought of that second month on the road, the terror that had driven the three of them to restless nights and over-exhausting themselves. The Nazgul had not looked for them very well. But the threat remained. He’d called Celebrimbor ‘Sapphire’ there and Celebrimbor had said he liked it. Eltariel had been off bartering some room in someone’s barn. It was the first time he’d seen Celebrimbor’s smile reach his eyes. And then poor Eltariel had been excluded from conversations for a while because they were too busy listening to the other. Although he’d been shocked Celebrimbor had even wanted to talk. 

He realized she’d fallen silent and he looked back to her. Her posture was slouched and her arms hung loose at her sides. 

“I shouldn’t be like this. I shouldn’t try to ensure other people don’t lose their mates.” She said softly.

“You can’t help it...Not really. How many years did you spend wandering alone?” He replied.

“Do you want the answer to that?” She answered.

“No.” 

She looked at him and shrugged. “Perhaps your hurt brings you together and nothing more. Rhys and I never officially became a bonded pair. We didn’t even like the idea of marrying each other and stayed as friends...Until the end. A year before he died, I said to him: ‘Rhys why don’t we abandon this useless mission and go our own way? Find someone to marry us and start a family?’ He asked me what brought that on and I said I was tired of waiting to meet someone I never would. And who knew me better than him? So he agreed we’d wait a while and disappear. Of course we waited too long. And look what happened.” 

She was upset and now he didn’t know what to do. Both Elves he cared for hated being comforted with touch. 

“So what you’re saying is: ‘don’t wait too long in Mordor until it’s too late to get to know the other’?” He asked. 

She nodded shallowly. “I know where you two stand. You respect the other and won’t try to push into something you’ll both regret.” 

He inclined his head in agreement and answered: “If it gets too dangerous in Mordor or if you feel we are going in circles. We will return here and stay here. I promise I will follow your judgement above my own.”

Her eyes widened. “You give your word? Above all else we will return should the situation become too much to handle?”

“I swear it.” Talion replied.

She looked like she didn’t believe him. So he took out his new dagger and cut open his palm. She gasped and followed suit a moment later, joining their bloodied hands.

“It is a blood oath then. You will regard me dishonor if I somehow break it. Do you understand?” Talion questioned, making sure he was looking her in the eyes. 

“Wholly, ranger. You will be shunned from my regard for eternity.” She replied.

“Then so be it.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't sure if I was going to include that end scene but if no one likes it I can edit it out. Won't be a problem. (And that end note from Eris was from Skillet's "Whispers in the Dark".) 
> 
> I don't have a plan to publish a sequel anytime soon even if this needs it desperately. This fic is horribly short and could have used less skips. But I was running out of ideas for this chapter and I was too bored to write six pages of travel.
> 
> Thank you very much for the reads. Means a ton. It was a huge part in finishing this story in the first place.

**Author's Note:**

> I have hit complete and utter writer's block with In the Waning Light and The Bright Lord.  
So they will be continued after some time.


End file.
